KEIGHLEY is set to host a General Election rematch between Tory and Labour candidates who battled each other just two years ago.

Kris Hopkins, who won the seat in 2015 for the Conservatives, will again face his former opponent, Labour’s John Grogan, after both parties confirmed them as candidates.

Keighley is considered a ‘bellwether’ constituency, where voters often predict who will go on to form the Government.

Two years ago, it became a key marginal seat, with a dramatic two-horse race unfolding between Mr Grogan and sitting MP Mr Hopkins.

Both parties sent big-hitters to the area to try to swing the vote for their candidate, with David Cameron and George Osborne making appearances for the Tories and Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham for Labour.

In the end, Mr Hopkins beat Mr Grogan into second place, and was returned with a 3,053 majority amid a better-than-expected night for the Tories nationally.

Mr Grogan said he was confident the national polls this year would tighten in the coming weeks and that he was looking forward to a “robust but civilised” campaign.

“I’m delighted to be standing again in Keighley,” he said.

“I was asked to put forward my name in a couple of safe Labour seats, but I wanted to stand my ground and fly the party flag in Keighley and Ilkley once again.

“The constituency is 23rd on the national list of target seats for Labour and if we are to get rid of the Conservative majority in Parliament, it is crucial that it is a Labour gain on June 8.”

Mr Grogan began his latest campaign today.

He said: “In the coming weeks I will set out Labour’s policies for Keighley and Ilkley regarding education, health, transport, Brexit and housing.”

Meanwhile, Mr Hopkins, currently a Northern Ireland Minister, has been unanimously selected by the Conservatives to defend his Keighley seat.

Mr Hopkins, who has held the seat since the 2010 General Election, was formally readopted at a meeting of the local Keighley and Ilkley Conservative Association in Churchill House, Keighley.

He thanked members “for the faith they have shown in me once again”.

Mr Hopkins said he looked forward to the General Election campaign, adding: “I remain fully committed to addressing vitally important local issues such as progressing our hugely effective anti-drugs campaign, attracting more inward investment and jobs, protecting incomes for our older people, fighting for fair funding for our schools, improving Airedale Hospital still further and delivering better transport links.”

The Greens’ Ros Brown and independent candidate David Crabtree have both thrown their hat into the ring, but the Liberal Democrats have yet to announce their Keighley candidate.