Labour ‘throwing the kitchen sink’ at Selby byelection as hopes grow of shock win

Keir Starmer's party believes it can topple Conservative rural strongholds as it competes with the Liberal Democrats in North Yorkshire

Labour is throwing the kitchen sink" at claiming the Conservative stronghold of Selby and Ainsty, amid growing optimism that it can pull off a shock win that would show its progress in Tory-held rural seats.

The North Yorkshire constituency, which was recently vacated by Boris Johnson ally Nigel Adams, returned a majority of more than 20,000 for the Tories at the last election. Labour had been targeting a strong second place in the seat, to fend off claims that only the Liberal Democrats can take on the Tories in their heartlands.