Ben Davies has been selected to stand as the Labour party's Parliamentary candidate in Chesham and Amersham.

The former BBC journalist from Great Missenden was the overwhelming choice by party members when they went to the vote.

The 43-year-old father of two said a focus on schools, affordable housing and opposing HS2 - which cuts through the constituency - would be key to his campaign to get elected at next year's General Election.

Mr Davies, who joined the Labour party in 1989, said: "Labour have supported people in the constituency and need the opportunity to have a strong candidate to vote for at the next election. I feel delighted they put so much faith in me to run.

"As a party we are much more representative of a lot of the electorate."

He added: "I want to make clear our local party’s opposition to HS2 and that will be at the heart of my campaign as will a focus on affordable housing, jobs, schools and the NHS.

"I'm in favour of creating a more equitable approach to selection for the grammar schools, so state school children can get in.

"These are some of the issues, along with the economy, that matter to voters up and down the constituency and, along with my colleagues in the local party, we’ll be out making the case for Labour from now until polling day."

Labour Constituency Party Chairman Stephen Agar said: "Ben was chosen by an overwhelming majority of our membership and we come out of the selection meeting with an excellent local candidate who has nearly 20 years’ experience as a journalist and campaigner."

Incumbent Conservative MP Cheryl Gillan, who has represented Chesham and Amersham since 1992, will stand again, while UKIP have announced current Buckinghamshire County Councillor Alan Stevens as their candidate.