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It should be a safe seat, but the decision by the sitting MP Frank Cook to stand as an Independent candidate in Stockton North could make Labour's life more difficult there.

Frank Cook was deselected as the Labour candidate in 2007.

There was dissatisfaction amongst local members who felt after 24 years they wanted a change.

At the time, he muttered darkly about considering standing as an Independent.

But he's largely been silent on the issue since then - until today that is.

.

Technically, he may try and claim .

But that assumes a lot of those people voted for him personally rather than the Labour party.

Labour certainly don't think that's the case, and have dismissed him as an irrelevance in the election.

Their candidate is local councillor Alex Cunningham. Also in the mix are the Conservatives Ian Galletley, and Liberal Democrat Philip Latham, who may hope to capitalise on Labour division. UKIP's candidate is Gordon Parkin.

Much will depend on how much of Frank Cook's vote in Stockton North is personal.

He has a record which people can look at. He would say I'm sure that it's a positive one.

But equally, as with many sitting MPs, he's taken some flak over expenses - in his case over .

As a former Butlins Redcoat he might add some entertainment to the race. But he's also a former gravedigger - we'll have to wait to see whether he's digging a hole for Labour or himself.

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