A BBC journalist will do battle with the Tory incumbent for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat next spring writes DEBORAH KING.

Chris Summers, 45, was chosen to be the Labour prospective Parliamentary candidate last night (Wednesday). He will challenge Sir John Randall in the general election, to be called no later than May 2015.

A keen cyclist, Mr Summers is married with two children and a step daughter. He lives in Northolt with his family and is a Labour councillor for Northolt ward on Ealing Council.

He joined the BBC in 1997, initially specialising in crime reporting, having covered the trial of serial killer Rose West in 1995. He has since moved from news to current affairs, covering a wide variety of subjects.

Mr Summers says he would be a 'listening candidate' and will start campaigning in the constituency straight away.

He is opposed to HS2 and a third runway at Heathrow Airport, but unlike the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, wants to keep Heathrow Airport open at its present location.

Mr Summers said: “The Tories have become complacent in constituencies like Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

"Although Sir John Randall has a majority of over 11,000 votes, there are a growing number of people who are dissatisfied with the coalition government.

"They do not want to see further massive cuts in public services which threaten the vital safety net which the welfare state provides to the vulnerable in society. Incomes are losing pace with the cost of living and more and more ‘middle class’ people are getting squeezed.

"Labour – with policies like the gas and electricity price freeze – is the only party which cares about the cost of living crisis. I will be the voice of people who are fed up with the Conservative party that represents the wealthy and nobody else, and their Liberal Democrat coalition partners, who have betrayed the hopes of those who voted for them in 2010.”

Mr Summers sits on the Heathrow Airport Consultative Committee and the RAF Northolt Liaison Committee and will be campaigning on air and noise pollution concerns, among others.

Mr Randall responded: "I would like to congratulate Chris Summers on his selection as the Labour Candidate, especially as I understand he was not successful in obtaining the candidature for either the Brentford and Isleworth or Swindon North constituencies in recent months.

"I am delighted that he will be talking to Hillingdon residents in the coming weeks and months and I am sure that he will learn how well the Conservatives in Hillingdon have been delivering for the people of Uxbridge and South Ruislip and indeed for all of Hillingdon.

"At the next General Election I look forward to standing on my record and that of the government in sorting out the financial mess left by the last Labour Government."