Labour selecting candidate today

The Labour Party will this morning be selecting its candidate to fill the Mt Albert seat, vacated by former Prime Minister Helen Clark.

The party is facing challenges from National, the Greens, ACT, the Kiwi Party and the Legalise Cannabis Party.

Labour's front runner is David Shearer, a former advisor to opposition leader Phil Goff. He is currently the UN Secretary-General';s deputy special representative to Iraq.

Other candidates include business studies lecturer Hamish McCracken, Auckland City Councillor Glenda Fryer, politics lecturer Meg Bates and employment lawyer Helen White.

Miss Clark held the seat with a majority of more than 8,500 votes at the last election.

- Newstalk ZB