Labour has chosen a 24-year-old town mayor to fight MP Laura Sandys in South Thanet, which includes Sandwich, at the next general election.

Will Scobie is Thanet District Council’s youngest councillor and last year became the youngest mayor ever in Margate.

He won more than two-thirds of the vote at a selection meeting on Friday.

Mr Scobie, who was elected as Kent county councillor for Margate and Cliftonville in May this year, lives in Margate with his partner, fellow Thanet councillor Jodie Hibbert.

Thanet council’s Labour leader, Clive Hart, said: “Despite his relative youth, Will has been active in politics for many years and has worked in several high-level political offices while studying for his masters degree in politics.”

He will be trying to overturn Ms Sandys’ 7,617 majority at the next election.