Labour’s newly selected Parliamentary candidate has attacked MP Grant Shapps, saying he has failed to “prioritise” the people of Welwyn Hatfield.

As reported in last week’s Welwyn Hatfield Times, Anawar Miah, of St Albans Road East, was selected by the borough’s branch of the party on March 8.

Last week in an interview with the Welwyn Hatfield Times he said: “He [Mr Shapps] could have prioritised the people of Welwyn Hatfield as he does have the ear of the most responsible man in the country and he is in the privileged position to do so.

“Why has he not done so?”

Mr Miah, 41, plans to fight for the Tory party chairman’s seat by focusing on a range of local issues.

The QE2 Hospital, Hatfield town centre redevelopment, the New Barnfield incinerator, the living wage and housing will become the core of his campaign.

The self-employed barrister branded the QE2 Hospital, with its depleted services, “a scar” that could be “healed under Labour” and said “too little, too late” had been done to fix Hatfield’s town centre.

He added that he was looking forward to helping “friends, neighbours and residents” and said it would be an “honour” to serve them.

“What I am looking at is happy homes, healthy families and hopeful futures,” said the married father-of-four, who has lived in Hatfield for nine years.

Of his upcoming campaign, he said: “I am cautiously optimistic. But I am very hopeful as the people of Welwyn Hatfield need a change.

“But that change can be addressed and it can be delivered.

“I believe the people of Welwyn Hatfield do really deserve a change for the better and I really hope I am going to have the honour of serving the people of Welwyn Hatfield.

“I will put the people of Welwyn Hatfield first.

“I think I have a lot to offer here.”