Ex-GMTV reporter bags Geoff Hoon's seat - with Unite backing

Today saw the Labour Party selecting its new candidate in Ashfield, where Geoff Hoon is standing down at the general election.

The successful candidate was none other than Gloria de Piero, until recently GMTV's political editor, and formerly a producer and reporter for the BBC. She was a Labour activist as a student in the mid-1990s.

She was selected from an all-women shortlist and was being tipped as the hot favourite for the seat three weeks ago in the Mail on Sunday.

But two weeks ago it became clear that she had become as shoo-in when the Guardian's Wintour and Watt blog reported:

"She has won the backing of the local Unite political committee, which will stand her in good stead."

I'll bet it did.

Jonathan Isaby