Who is Yarmouth's Tory candidate in the general election?

The prime minister announced on Wednesday the country will go to the polls on July 4.

Following Sir Brandon Lewis' announcement in March that he would not be standing again, the Conservatives have yet to name a candidate for Great Yarmouth. 

The town's Tory chairman Robert Price said his team had been planning for an October election, so it could be another ten days before the candidate is announced, giving the party only five weeks of campaigning.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak issues a statement outside 10 Downing Street, London, after calling a General Election for July 4. (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)Mr Price said he feels this is not a disadvantage as it will allow the party to concentrate all their efforts during the campaign.

"I would have thought people would know who the candidate is in about ten days' time," said Mr Price.

"The rules say we now have to go into 'by-election' mode where the applications that are in are now going to be dealt with at Central Office. We will be in contact with them hopefully today and get the final three or four nominations coming to us on a fast track.

"And then we'll decide very quickly."

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Robert Price, chairman of the Great Yarmouth Conservative Society. (Image: Submitted)

Mr Price said until Rishi Sunak's announcement yesterday, the Yarmouth branch was "on track" for announcing its new candidate by the end of June in time for an election later in the year.

He added: "We were planning for an October election and then have four months of campaigning. That period will now be four to five weeks, so it will be a concentrated effort. 

"I don't think it will be a disadvantage to us because we'll be putting everything into that short term so people will know in a short span of time what is going on.

"The only caveat I do have is that we haven't actually named who that shortlisted candidate is who will be the person representing the Conservative Party.

"The names are in but I don't know what they're going to give us."

Sir Brandon Lewis pictured in 2010, shortly before becoming MP for Great Yarmouth.

WHO'S IN THE RUNNING?

Labour announced Keir Cozens as the Yarmouth parliamentary candidate last August. Mr Cozens' pledges include cutting energy bills, creating jobs by investing in offshore wind and slashing NHS waiting lists.

In April, ex-football boss and businessman Rupert Lowe announced his hopes to become Great Yarmouth's next MP standing as a candidate for Reform - the latest political venture fronted by Nigel Farage. Mr Lowe said he will support the region's fishing trade and the farming industry.

It has also been announced Trevor Rawson will be standing for the Green Party on July 4.

Great Yarmouth from the air. (Image: Mike Page)