Election '97: Dromey off safe seat shortlist

Jack Dromey, an official with the Transport & General Workers' Union and husband of Labour frontbencher Harriet Harman, last night failed to make the shortlist for the safe Labour seat of Castleford and Pontefract, which is vacant following the retirement of Sir Geoffrey Lofthouse.

The shortlist comprises Hilary Benn, a union official and Tony Benn's son; Yvette Cooper, a journalist with The Independent; Derek Scott, an economist with merchant bank BZW and adviser to Tony Blair; John Harman, leader of Kirklees Council and Cath Ashton, a union convener in Derbyshire.