PENDLE lawyer Sajjad Karim has been given a strong chance of getting re-elected to the European Parliament in May having been selected second on the list of north west Tory candidates.

The order was ranked after a ballot of Conservative members in the region, comprising Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

The current Euro MPs Jacqueline Foster and Mr Karim came one and two in the vote.

Electors in European elections choose a political party, rather individuals. MEPs are then elected from different parties based on the vote received across the region in order of ranking.

In the north west, eight MEPs will be elected with Mrs Foster and Mr Karim being joined as Tory candidates by Kevin Beaty, Deborah Dunleavy, Joe Barker, Daniel Hamilton, Chris Whiteside and James Walsh.

Mr Beaty is a Cumbrian farmer, Mrs Dunleavy is a Bolton mum-of-three and former NHS patient safety boss, and Burnley’s Mr Barker is a lawyer.

Mr Hamilton is from Manchester, Mr Whiteside from Cumbria and Mr Walsh is from Bolton.