A former Gogglebox star has been selected by Labour to run against Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden at the general election.

Josh Tapper, who appeared on the hit Channel 4 show alongside his family, has been confirmed as the Opposition party’s candidate for Hertsmere.

Politics Live:
PMQs latest after chancellor drops election hint

In a post on X, he said he was “thrilled and honoured to have been selected”, adding: “The work to unseat the Deputy Prime Minister starts now.”

Mr Dowden has been the MP for Hertsmere since 2015 and has a sizeable majority of 21,000.

Labour came in second in the constituency at the last election, winning around 11,000 votes compared to Mr Dowden’s 32,000.

However, recent by-elections have seen the Tories ousted in safe seats by Sir Keir Starmer’s party, with some pundits predicting a wipeout of Conservative MPs when the nation goes to the polls.

Mr Tapper, 26, quit Gogglebox in 2017 after landing a job in the civil service.

He joined Labour when Sir Keir became leader, according to the Jewish News.

In 2022 Mr Tapper also stood for selection in the North London seat of Chipping Barnet.

The news of his selection comes amid rampant speculation about when the next general election could be.

The prime minister has said he expects to hold it in the second half of 2024, while Chancellor Jeremy Hunt appeared to indicate that October was the most likely month during an evidence session to a House of Lords committee on Tuesday.

Last week Mr Sunak ruled out going to the polls at the same time as the local elections in May, following rumours of machinations against him.

With the governing party trailing heavily in the polls, mutinous rebels have talked up the prospect of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt replacing the prime minister in Downing Street, should he face a no confidence vote.

Read more:
Hunt hints at autumn election as PM confirms summit
This was no slip of the tongue from Jeremy Hunt

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Mr Tapper is not the only famous face launching a bid to get into parliament.

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has been selected as a Labour candidate for the Tory-held seat of Mid-Susesx, hoping to turn it red for the first time.

Related posts:

Government accused of ‘snatching away NHS pay rise of 2.1%’ as union backlash grows Chief law officer ordered search of top civil servant’s office for Salmond complaint documents Hancock hits back at Cummings after ‘unsubstantiated’ claims about lying PM vows to ‘shift heaven and earth’ to get more people out of Afghanistan after 31 August deadline Any further COVID restrictions ‘must be last resort’, Javid says Metropolitan Police issues fines for Downing Street events on eve of Prince Philip’s funeral DUP says no return to Northern Ireland executive until ‘long shadow’ of protocol is resolved Health secretary unveils £500m plan to free up hospital beds and unblock the NHS Foreign secretary calls on countries to reject Putin’s ‘sham’ referenda in Ukraine PM plans to ban Channel migrants from appealing deportation Government to revive EU-derived equal pay law months after scrapping it Pro-Palestinian and Israeli protests cost Metropolitan Police £26.5m