Barrister Robert Courts will fight Witney by-election for the Conservatives

The Conservatives have selected Robert Courts, a 37-year-old barrister, as the party's candidate for the Witney and West Oxfordshire by-election in October, it was announced last night (22 September).

The vote was triggered after former Prime Minister David Cameron resigned from the House of Commons in the wake of the EU referendum.

Courts, a married father of one, has served as district councillor in West Oxfordshire since 2014 after moving from Winchester and volunteers as a speaker for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

"I am hugely honoured to have been selected as the Conservative candidate for Witney and West Oxfordshire," he said.

"For the last 15 years we have had a brilliant MP and public servant in David Cameron and it is wonderful that he and his family plan to stay local.

"I believe it is vital that Witney and West Oxfordshire residents continue to have a strong local voice in Parliament and I will work tirelessly to ensure that residents' views and concerns are heard.

"I look forward to meeting and speaking with as many local residents as possible in the coming weeks and discussing the issues that matter to them."

Courts is expected to retain the seat for the Tories on 20 October, with Cameron securing a majority of more than 25,000 votes at the general election.

The Liberal Democrats have announced Oxfordshire councillor Liz Leffman as their candidate, while the English Democrats have unveiled former Ukip activist and Celebrity Big Brother contestant Winston McKenzie as their parliamentary hopeful.

Labour have selected Oxfordshire councillor Duncan Enright, who has called for Jeremy Corbyn's resignation, as IBTimes UK revealed yesterday.