THE new Conservative Parliamentary candidate to begin battle with Government minister Ian Austin for the Dudley North seat has been named.

Graeme Brown will be standing for the key seat at the General Election.

The 30-year-old accountant, who was born and brought up in Burnley, has recently been appointed by the Conservative Party after members sacked Councillor John Perry earlier this year.

Sedgley ward councillor Mr Perry was asked by the party to stand down after failing to “fulfil demands”.

The Conservatives are keen to take the Dudley North seat away from Labour’s Mr Austin, who is regarded as a key player in Gordon Brown’s Government.

Graeme Brown, who stood for MP in Ashton-Under-Lyne in 2005, said: “I am deeply honoured to be given the chance to fight Dudley North at the next General Election. I know the area well and have campaigned extensively here.”

Martin Duffield, chairman of the Dudley North Conservative Association, said: “We are pleased to have Graeme as our candidate. He is a really strong candidate who I know is going to do well in Dudley North.