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Of the many names being thrown around to be the next leader of the Labour party , Dan Jarvis is one that many won't recognise - but his is the name that gives the Tories the fear.

He's 42 and form Nottingham. He's only been MP for Barnsley Central since a 2011 by-election, and most people outside of Westminster have never heard of him.

So who is Dan Jarvis? How did he get the nickname "steely messenger of death?"

And why does the idea of him succeeding Ed Miliband make Conservatives nervous?

Here's everything you need to know.

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He's an ex-army Major and Iraq War veteran

(Image: PA)

As an Army paratrooper, Major Dan Jarvis MBE served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

He was deployed to Afghanistan twice, first on recon missions to Helmand Province, followed by a six-month tour as a company commander with the Special Forces.

He resigned his commission in March 2011 following the death of his wife, Caroline, from cancer. He was awarded an MBE in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours list.

He's had a quick rise to party prominence

(Image: PA)

Jarvis joined the Labour party at 18, but had to put politics on hold while he served in the military.

He was selected for Barnsley Central after the resignation of Eric Illsley, who was convicted of fraud in the expenses scandal.

He ran a fierce campaign, which was nicknamed "Operation Honey Badger" after the notoriously ruthless and vicious mammal.

Jarvis was elected on a 60.8% share of the vote in the by-election, and made the move to Westminster.

He was almost immediately made Shadow Arts and Culture minister, and in his 2013 reshuffle, Ed Miliband named him Shadow Justice Minister.

What about the time he took on a mugger and won

In March, a man made the mistake of trying to mug ex-paratrooper Jarvis in London's King's Cross station.

He said: "This guy came up to me with a bottle and tried to kill me. I walked into the Tube and the man, who was clearly very drunk and aggressive, came over and said if I didn't give him my wallet he would break the bottle over my head.

"I said 'that's not going to happen' and we stood and faced each other off for what seemed like quite a long time.

"I had visions of us rolling around on the platform, but thankfully it didn't come to that."

The incident got tongues wagging around Westminster, earned him a nickname among insiders - the "steely messenger of death."

Why is he the Tories' worst nightmare?

The list of favourites to succeed Ed Miliband is full of familiar names - Chukka Umunna, Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham, to name just three.

But one of Labour's big problems in this election was that their leader seemed like an awkward Westminster policy wonk that ordinary people can't relate to. None of the names above solves that problem.

Dan Jarvis, on the other hand isn't seen as a Westminster insider. While others have been plotting their long political careers, he's been busy risking his life in service of his country in the military. And military service has long been something more associated with the right than the left.

Even the Tory-leaning Spectator spoke warmly about Jarvis when they interviewed him in 2012 - describing him as sincere and determined, can appeal to ordinary people and understands the need for Labour to appeal to the centre ground,

In short, he's seen as having all the qualities Ed Miliband fatally lacked as leader.

That's why he's the Tories' worst nightmare.

Is he likely to be leader?

He's currently the bookies' third favourite to win the leadership, behind Andy Burnham Chukka Umunna - which isn't bad for a man that nobody's heard of.

Labour leadership races are notoriously brutal, but if he can convince members and Unions that they need to look outside the Westminster bubble for their next leader, he could be in with a chance.