Nadine Dorries reveals Bedfordshire PCC to be Conservative candidate for her seat - once she resigns

Nadine Dorries has announced the Conservative candidate for her seat - despite having yet to officially resign.

The Mid-Bedfordshire MP said she would step down last week amid claims that Number 10 had prevented her from getting a peerage - but has since said she will stay as an MP until she gets answers on why her honour was blocked.

On Thursday night, Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye was selected as the Tory candidate.

Ms Dorries described him as "one of the best people I know" adding that he was "genuine, principled with a track record of delivery".

As recently as Saturday, Mr Akinbusoye was denying that he was thinking of standing in the impending by-election.

He told ITV News Anglia reporter Rebecca Haworth that it was "a rumour going around" and that he was "quite flattered" to be linked with the candidacy.

Within five days, he has been confirmed as the Conservative candidate.

Following the announcement, the police and crime commissioner's office said: "While Mr Akinbusoye will undoubtedly now be campaigning for the upcoming by-election... he will continue to carry out his PCC duties."

While Labour and the Lib Dems have yet to announce their candidates for any future by-election, they have already been campaigning in the area.

Both parties believe they can win the seat.

Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem MP for St Albans was there on Thursday, hot on the heels of party leader Ed Davey, who visited on Monday.

Speaking on Anglia Late Edition, Ms Cooper said her party was the bookies' favourite to take the seat, adding that voters were "sick to the back teeth" with the situation.

Labour's Daniel Zeichner, who was also on the programme said "All this nonsense with Nadine Dorries - it's a disgrace frankly. Honours are for something special people have done and it's just dragging all our politics down."

Mr Zeichner predicted that the Conservatives would finish behind both his party and the Lib Dems.

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