In the Drax sports and social club, in the shadow of the biggest power station in the country, a politician named Keir pitches for votes. “I’ll tackle waiting lists with Labour’s plan for the biggest expansion of the NHS workforce in a generation,” he says. “Fundamentally, this election is a clear choice. It’s about whether we want more of the same and five more years under the Conservatives, or whether we want new ideas, new energy, a fresh start.”
Do not be fooled: this is a test Keir, for a test election. Keir Mather, 25, the candidate for the Selby and Ainsty by-election – named after the party’s founder Keir Hardie, and therefore destined for a career in politics – is trying out his leader’s
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