Union Communications boss selected as Labour Party Party candidate for Peterborough

The decision was announced by the Labour Party on Sunday evening (July 24) and Pakes will now contest the next election, which is not expected before 2024, for the party.

He faced competition to get on the ballot from Nausabah Khan and former Blur drummer Dave Rowntree.

Pakes was born in Newport Pagnell and served as a councillor for the London Borough of Southwark between 2006 and 2010.

He stood down to contest the Milton Keynes parliamentary seat in the 2010 general election. He also the 2015 election in the Milton Keynes South constituency for the party; on both occasions he was beaten by the Conservative candidate. In 2015, incumbent MP Iain Stewart increased his majority by over 3500 votes.

He has described education as his passion and described how seeing brother's skilled apprenticeship as a welder was replaced by a succession of short-term, zero hours contracts, before his death in 2016, has led him to become dedicated to fighting for better skilled jobs and apprenticeships and against unsafe, insecure work.

On his campaign website, he added: “The next election will be the most important in our lifetime. For families in Peterborough and for Labour.

“It isn’t just that people are angry with Boris Johnson. It goes deeper than that. It is what the Tories stand for and the damage they are doing. If we want a Labour government, we need to start by electing a Labour MP in Peterborough.

“Growing up in nearby Milton Keynes, I’ve seen the new town promise of good jobs, decent housing and a great place to live squandered by the Tories, just like here in Peterborough.

He now works as the Director of Communications and Research for the Prospect Union, having formerly held roles that have included President of the National Union of Students between 1998-2000, Head of Political Communications for the Labour Party, Chief-of-Staff to the Deputy Myor of London and a Senior Political Advisor of the Labour Party.

Labour Group Leader on Peterborough City Council, Cllr Shaz Nawaz said: “Congratulations Andrew Pakes and commiserations Nausabah Khan and Dave Rowntree.

“I hear all three made excellent presentations and had great reasons for being the prospective parliamentary candidate to represent Labour in Peterborough at the next General Election.

"Andrew will make a great MP and it's the job of the Labour family in Peterborough to make that happen. We need to work together to ensure we have a Labour MP at the next General Election. Andrew has my full support and backing because that is how we work in the Labour family.

"We always unite and focus on the bigger objectives. That’s how politics should work. Onwards and upwards and let’s get the campaign moving to a whole different level.”