Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email
Please enter a valid email address
Please enter a valid email address
SIGN UP
I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice
Thanks for signing up to the
View from Westminster email
{{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}
Former Gogglebox star Josh Tapper has been selected by Labour to run against deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden in the general election.
The 26-year-old, who featured on the Channel 4 show alongside father Jonathan, mother Nikki and sister Amy, has been confirmed as the candidate for Hertsmere, in Hertfordshire.
The Deputy Prime Minister has been the MP for Hertsmere since 2015, winning a 21,000 majority in the last general election.
Labour came in second in the constituency at the 2019 election, winning around 11,000 votes compared to Mr Dowden’s 32,000.
In a statement on X/Twitter, Mr Tapper said: "I’m thrilled and honoured to have been selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Hertsmere.
“Thank you so much to local members for your support - I won’t let you down. The work to unseat the Deputy Prime Minister starts now!”
The Gogglebox Tapper Family: Josh, Nikki, Amy and Jonathan
" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/03/20/17/GettyImages-1045629538.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/03/20/17/GettyImages-1045629538.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/03/20/17/GettyImages-1045629538.jpg" data-gallery-length="3" class="i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content" pinger-seen="true">
The Gogglebox Tapper Family: Josh, Nikki, Amy and Jonathan
(Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for B)
Mr Tapper left the Gogglebox in 2017 after landing a job in the civil service. He joined Labour when Sir Keir Starmer became leader, according to the Jewish News.
He previously stood for selection in 2022, but missed out on the nomination in the North London seat of Chipping Barnet.
Mr Tapper is not the first celebrity to be selected by Labour to stand in the election.
Dave Rowntree, the drummer for Blur, will stand for the Conservative-held Mid Sussex seat.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden
(PA Wire)
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his “working assumption” remains that a general election will take place in the second half of the year, but has not yet confirmed a date.
Downing Street sources have told The Independent that the election had been pencilled in for the second Thursday in October.
It is understood that the PM is unlikely to wait until mid-November, since it would clash with US presidential election.
No 10 dismissed the claim as “speculation” but did not deny the date. A government source said: “The PM will announce the date. Until then everything else is speculation.”
Mr Sunak has come under fire for refusing to name the date that the country can expect to take to the polls.
A Labour source told The Independent that the party was ready for any eventuality.
They said: “We remain ready for all scenarios. The public wants change and we’re ready to deliver it. Sunak needs to end the speculation and name the date.”
More about General Election Gogglebox Hertsmere Oliver Dowden Hertfordshire
Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
1/ 3Former Gogglebox star selected as Labour candidate at general election
Former Gogglebox star selected as Labour candidate at general election
The Gogglebox Tapper Family: Josh, Nikki, Amy and Jonathan
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for B
Former Gogglebox star selected as Labour candidate at general election
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden
PA Wire
Former Gogglebox star selected as Labour candidate at general election
The 26-year-old featured on Gogglebox from 2013-2017
？ Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Subscribe
Already subscribed? Log in