THE parliamentary by-election to find Feltham and Heston’s next MP will be held next month, following the death of Alan Keen.

Mr Keen, who had represented the constituency since 1992, died on November 10 at the age of 73.

A by-election for the vacant seat will be held on December 15 and a number of candidates have already been selected.

Local campaigner Seema Malhotra, 39, has been chosen as Labour’s candidate.

Mrs Malhotra was brought up in Hounslow, lived in Feltham, went to school in Heston and was married at Hounslow Civic Centre.

A business consultant, she has been a senior manager with Price Waterhouse Coopers and Accenture and is co-founder and director of the Fabian Womens Network and a former National Chair of the Fabian Society.

She said: "Hard-pressed families facing higher prices for food and fuel are worried about an uncertain future for their jobs and their children. But the Tories remain hopelessly out-of-touch with the reality of life for millions of families who are desperately trying to make ends meet.

"Struggling families and small businesses in Feltham and Heston urgently need support to kick-start growth and create new jobs – not reckless unfair cuts which are too deep and too fast."

Councillor Mark Bowen, who has fought the seat at the last two general elections, has been confirmed as the Conservative Party Candidate.

Mr Bowen is leader of the Conservative Group on Hounslow Council and has lived in the constituency for the past 13 years.

He said: "It is a real privilege to be the Conservative candidate for Feltham and Heston, my home constituency.

"Having lived in the constituency for the past 13 years, it really is a great honour and I am extremely proud of my local area.

"I have been a councillor for the last nine years and have fought the last two general elections as the Conservative candidate.

"I therefore, have a proven track record of working hard for everyone in the community and am passionate about doing everything I can to help improve the lives of local people."

UKIP's Housing spokesman Andrew Charalambous has been selected to fight the seat for the party.

Thirty-nine year-old Mr Charalambous is a property developer who has spent much of his career helping reduce homelessness in London through an innovative social housing scheme that allows poorer tenants to avoid paying rent and deposits.

In last year's general election he stood as a Conservative Party candidate in Edmonton.

He said: "It is a great honour to be standing for UKIP and I will use every bit of energy I possess to campaign tirelessly to give UKIP its first MP in Westminster.

"I have stood for parliament before and I know the effort required. Previously, I stood as a Conservative, but that party has let everybody down which is why I am now standing for UKIP."

A full list of candidates is expected to be announced by the end of the week.