The Conservatives have chosen the candidate to represent the party in Crawley at the next general election.

Zack Ali, councillor on Crawley Borough Council for Gossops Green and North East Broadfield, was selected by the town’s Conservatives in their bid to keep hold of the seat when voters next go to the polls next year.

Cllr Ali said he was “delighted” to have been selected as the candidate and said: “I have been overwhelmed by the messages of support.

“It would be the honour of my life to represent the place I call home.”

READ MORE: Conservatives forecast to lose seven MPs in Sussex at next general election

He will face Crawley’s former Labour council leader Peter Lamb at the general election, expected to take place in May or the autumn of next year.

Crawley’s current MP Henry Smith announced in March he would be standing down at the next general election.

Crawley, which has reflected the overall national result at every general election since 1983, has elected a Conservative MP since 2010.

At the last election in December 2019, Henry Smith secured 54.2 per cent, while Peter Lamb won 37.4 per cent, with the Liberal Demcorats third with 5.5 per cent.