IPSWICH'S most potent political name is set to appear again on a General Election ballot paper, this time for the Liberal Democrats.

by GRAHAM DINES

political correspondent>

IPSWICH'S most potent political name is set to appear again on a General Election ballot paper, this time for the Liberal Democrats.

Andrew Cann, son of the former Labour MP Jamie, has confirmed he has put his name forward for consideration by the party's parliamentary panel.

This is the second time that Mr Cann, who resigned from the Labour Party after his father's death shortly after the 2001 election, has let it be known he is interested in representing his new party at Westminster.

The Lib Dems were all set last year to choose Mr Cann, who is deputy opposition leader on Suffolk county council, but he withdrew his nomination at the last minute for personal reasons.

He has now decided he will seek the candidature and the party is expected to back him to fight Ipswich at the General Election.

“The Lib Dems will choose their parliamentary candidate in the autumn,” said Mr Cann. “I am not aware at this stage of any other person interested in standing.”

Jamie Cann was Ipswich MP from 1992 until 2001. After his death, Labour held the seat in the by-election with the then Leader of Suffolk county council leader Chris Mole as its candidate.

Mr Mole was re-elected in 2005 with a majority over the Conservatives of 5,332. The Lib Dems were third with 8,464 votes, 20.2 per cent of the poll.

The Conservatives have selected Ben Gummer, son of Suffolk Coastal MP John Gummer, to try to wrest the seat from Labour. He will need a swing of 6.37pc from Labour to win.

The UK Independence Party has chosen Chris Streatfield to fight the seat and build on its poor showing of just 1,134 votes in 2005 while the Green Party's choice is Tim Glover.