A UNIVERSITY of Essex professor has been selected as Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for the next general election.

Pam Cox fought off competition from Lee Scordis and Chris Vince to be picked by her Labour colleagues this morning.

Ms Cox, a social historian who has presented a number of television series, has been a New Town and Christ Church councillor since May 2021.

The academic is the council's current heritage and culture boss.

A selection meeting held at Colchester Arts Centre this morning revealed the University of Essex professor has been successful in her bid.

A statement from Essex Labour reads: “Congratulations to Pam Cox! Let’s turn Colchester red.”

Labour has finished third in Colchester in every General Election from 1979, when the party came second, until 2017.

After a gap of 38 years they once again came second to Conservative Will Quince, and again in 2019.

Labour has only won Colchester once when Charles Smith held the seat from 1945 until 1950 when he lost to the Conservatives who held Colchester for the next 47 years.