TWO Winchester-based election candidates will stand in other Hampshire seats on July 4.
Conservative Signe Andrea Biddle and Liberal Democrat James Edward Batho will contest the seats for Portsmouth South and Southampton Itchen respectively.
Ms Biddle has contested The Worthys ward at the Winchester local elections for the past five years. She came second each time.
Now she is setting her eyes on a bigger prize: a seat in the House of Commons. The current MP for Portsmouth South is Labour's Stephen Morgan, who will stand again in July.
Explaining her decision to stand in the constituency, Ms Biddle told the Chronicle: “The opportunity arose and I wanted to stand as an MP. I couldn’t stand in Winchester because Flick Drummond had the first option."
Ms Biddle dismissed any idea that a candidate from Portsmouth might be more suited to represent the city's constituents.
“I think you have to think about what is the role of an MP as opposed to a councillor and I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to do that [in Portsmouth South]," she said.
"I would move here if I was elected. I love being here and I think [Portsmouth is] a fantastic place.”
READ MORE: General Election: Who is standing to be Romsey's next MP?
Mr Batho is a councillor for the ward of St Barnabas, Winchester. He is contesting a seat held by Conservative Royston Smith since 2015. Mr Smith is vacating the seat as of July 4.
When contacted by the Chronicle and asked why he was standing in Southampton when he is based in Winchester, Mr Batho said he would get back to us, but did not.
The candidates standing for the Southampton Itchen constituency are as follows: James Edward Batho (Liberal Democrats), Declan Peter Clune (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Alex Culley (Reform UK), Neil McKinnon Lyon Kelly (Green Party), Darren James Paffey (Labour Party), Sidney Yankson (Conservative Party).
The candidates standing for the Portsmouth South constituency are as follows: Signe Biddle (The Conservative Party), Elliott Lee (The Green Party), Stephen Morgan (Labour Party), Charlie Murphy (Liberal Democrat), Jacob Short (Portsmouth Independent Party), Mark Zimmer (Reform UK).
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