South Shields by-election set for 2 May

The by-election in South Shields to replace former Foreign Secretary David Miliband will take place on 2 May, Labour sources have said.

Mr Miliband is expected to formally stand down as an MP on Monday, after announcing last month that he is moving to the US to work for a charity.

The by-election will take place on the same day as local elections in England.

Labour has held the seat since 1935 and currently has a majority of more than 11,000.

Mr Miliband, 47, who has an American wife, is leaving the UK to become chief executive of the International Rescue Committee in New York.

He was beaten to the Labour leadership in 2010 by his brother Ed and has taken a back seat since, opting not to join his brother's shadow cabinet.

South Tyneside councillor and social worker Emma Lewell-Buck, 34, will contest the seat for Labour.

Karen Allen will again be the Conservative candidate, having come second in 2010.

Hugh Annand is standing for the Liberal Democrats and Richard Elvin is the UK Independence Party candidate.

Ms Allen, who grew up in South Shields, works in London for an insurance company.

Mr Annand has a background in manufacturing and is the great-grandson of a former editor of the Shields Gazette.

Mr Elvin is the chairman of UKIP's North East regional committee.

Other candidates are expected to be announced shortly.

The by-election will take place on the same day as elections for 34 local authorities in England, mostly county councils rather than the big cities.

There will also be two mayoral elections - as well as a local authority election in Anglesey, North Wales.