LABOUR has selected a woman to take on Conservative Ann Widdecombe in the Maidstone and the Weald constituency at the next general election.

Beth Breeze, 32, was selected as the Labour Party's prospective parliamentary candidate at a meeting at the weekend.

It will be the first parliamentary seat Mrs Breeze has contested, although she joined the Labour Party in 1991 and has been actively involved in campaigning in general elections, European and Scottish parliamentary elections.

Mrs Breeze, who said she was looking forward to the challenge, grew up in Leeds and graduated from St Andrews University with a first class degree in Social Anthropology.

Mrs Breeze has worked for three Labour-friendly think tanks - the Fabian Society, Demos and the Social Market Foundation - and is currently a freelance writer and researcher.

She married her husband, Michael last year and the couple live in Rainham.

Mrs Breeze is undaunted by the prospect of taking on Miss Widdecombe and attempting to overturn the 10,500 majority the Tory MP enjoyed at the last general election.

"She has certainly got a high profile and is very well known both locally and nationally, but it will be fun to debate with her on the issues," she said.

She added: "In Maidstone, like most of the country, there was a big non-vote at the last election with only a 61 per cent turnout. That means around 28,000 people in Maidstone and the Weald did not vote.

"If I can find and persuade half of those people to vote next time we could turn round the 10,500 majority. We need to bring people back to politics at the next election and that's what I will be aiming to do."