A LEFT-WING Labour contender to run in former PM Boris Johnson’s Uxbridge & South Ruislip seat has been snubbed in favour of a “Starmer-backed neoliberal.”

Connor Liberty, the local CLP’s preferred candidate, was denied in favour of former charity worker Danny Beales, who will fight to win the west London seat in the next election following Mr Johnson’s shock departure over the weekend.

Mr Beales, 34, has been a councillor in Camden — part of Sir Keir Starmer's constituency — for a decade, described himself as “pragmatic socialist” and has reportedly been critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party.

The left-wing Twitter account, Frank Owen’s Legendary Paintbrush, has told its 50,000 followers: “The members of Uxbridge & South Ruislip CLP wanted Connor Liberty as their candidate.

“Sadly, Connor was too left-wing for Starmer’s liking, so they’ve been lumbered with this Keith-approved [Sir Keir] neoliberal."

A member of Uxbridge Constituency Labour Party (CLP) last night confirmed to the Morning Star the majority of its branches had voted for Mr Liberty to be their parliamentary candidate.

She branded the selection “undemocratic” and said it had sparked anger among her CLP members.

The source said: “That was the choice from various branches, the nomination was for Connor Liberty. It wasn’t 100 per cent by the majority of the branches.

“I suppose a lot of the party members have not really had a chance to get to know him [Mr Beales] at all and he does appear to echo a lot of what Starmer says.

“People are still very, very cheesed off with how the party is becoming centrally controlled.”

She believed the selection of Mr Beales was from Sir Keir’s CLP.

The source still believed Labour will take the seat as Mr Liberty has thrown his weight behind the candidate.

“One presumes that all the people that voted for Connor, and it was a majority, will come out and back Mr Beales,” she said.

Mr Beales recently gave up his job as head of policy and campaigns at the National Aids Trust, was born in Hillingdon hospital and grew up in South Ruislip and Ruislip Manor.

He has spoken of being homeless at the age of 14 and this week said: “It is entirely possible for Labour to win this seat for the first time. 

“But we are not taking anything for granted. It’s going to be a hard fought battle on the ground."

Mr Beales and the Labour Party have been contacted for comment.