Interview by Marcus Barnett

In July last year, Labour MP John Woodcock resigned from the party under a cloud after allegations of sexual harassment had led to a suspension and investigation.

In recent years Woodcock marked himself out as a prominent critic of Jeremy Corbyn, accusing him of pursuing “angry intolerant pacifism” over the Syria war vote in 2015, of “gesture politics” over the Yemen crisis in 2016 and, on his departure from Labour, branding him a “national security risk.” As an independent MP he has joined calls for a new centrist party.

But the Barrow and Furness Labour Party is moving in another direction. After much exasperation with their former MP’s constant attacks on Corbyn, the local party overwhelmingly selected war veteran, RMT member and left-winger Chris Altree earlier this month to replace Woodcock as Labour’s candidate.

Tribune’s associate editor Marcus Barnett spoke to Altree about his background, political beliefs, and ideas of what Labour needs to do to win back Barrow.