JACK Straw has been re-selected as Labour candidate for Blackburn at the next General Election.
Mr Straw was given the news at at specially convened meeting of the Blackburn Constituency Labour party's executive committee.
Mr Straw, who is also Foreign Secretary, was under pressure as many members of the local party, particularly those from the Asian community, were opposed to his stance on the war in Iraq.
Before Mr Straw's re-selection, 15 ward branches of the local Labour Party and a number of affiliated trade unions held a series of meetings to decide who would be the candidate.
Mr Straw, who will mark a quarter of a century as Blackburn's MP next year, said: "I am grateful to members for their continued support.
"I have done my best to serve the town for the past 24 years and I hope to be able to continue with that work."
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