LABOUR and the Greens have selected their candidates to contest Winchester in the general election.

The Green Party has selected Andrew Wainwright, while Labour have chosen Mark Chaloner.

A resident of the city for more than 20 years, Mr Wainwright has recently been speaking out about air pollution, which is responsible for tens of thousands of premature deaths every year.

He said: "It's shocking how little is being done to make our cities cleaner and safer for pedestrians and cyclists, in spite of all the obvious economic benefits this would bring to Winchester."

He added that the Green Party's soon-to-be revealed manifesto is likely to contain strong support for education, the NHS, a commitment to address the housing crisis, the re-nationalisation of the railways, the replacement of student loans with grants, and a lowering of the voting age to 16.

Mark Chaloner was Labour's candidate in 2015 and is a family law barrister.

He is also a councillor and finance portfolio holder on Southampton City Council.

Mr Chaloner said: "I am a father of three and a family lawyer. Within my work I see people from all walks of life in need of support and truly believe the state should help those who have fallen on hard times or who aspire to better their lives.

"As an MP I would seek to promote polices allowing this.Two of my children spent time in neonatal units in our wonderful NHS. I can't stand to see its privatisation and the desperation of NHS staff now facing insufficient resources to prevent them being able to care as they should.

"I've regularly liaised with Hampshire Police and seen the impact of current cuts to frontline services putting the community at risk. As a parent of young children l dread the proposed impact of cuts to school funding and the reduction in teachers the cuts will cause.

Steve Brine will contest the seat for the Tories and Jackie Porter will again challenge him for the Lib Dems.