Leading Brexiteer Mark Francois backs Jarrow Conservative candidate's General Election campaign

Tory Nick Oliver is one of seven challengers seeking to overturn Labour’s 17,263 majority in Jarrow from the 2017 poll.

Mr Oliver, who supports the Brexit deal brokered by party leader Boris Johnson, guided Mark Francois around the constituency as part of his campaign.

The pair also met Conservative supporters next to Jarrow Riverside pedestrian tunnel.

Asked why voters should choose Mr Oliver, Mr Francois, who is deputy chairman of the Brexit-supporting European Research Group, replied: "The North East led the way in the 2016 European Referendum and Labour MPs then spent everything they can under the sun to keep us in the EU against the will of the people.

“In Jarrow Nick is up against a Corbynista who has been parachuted in here at the last minute to do Corbyn's bidding including not supporting Brexit."

Labour candidate Kate Osborne said in response: “Interesting to see Mark Francois has found his way up to the North East for probably the first time in his life.

“I will take no lectures from the Tories whose policies have resulted in over four million children living in poverty, forced millions of people to rely on foodbanks and want to see our NHS sold to Donald Trump and American companies.”

The eight Jarrow candidates are Mark Anthony Conway (Social Democratic Party), James Paul Milne (Green Party), Richard Leslie Monaghan (Brexit Party), Nick Oliver (Conservatives), Kate Osborne (Labour), John Andrew Robertson (Independent), Shaun William Sadler (Independent) and David Wilkinson (Liberal Democrats).