FORMER Warrington South Labour candidate Nick Bent says a more balanced Labour membership is needed if the party is to get back to power.

Nick Bent, who lost general elections in 2010 and 2015 to Tory David Mowat, says it is time for Labour members to choose a party leader capable of being voted Prime Minister.

Labour suffered its worst general election performance since the 1930s on Thursday with Faisal Rashid in Warrington South among scores of party MPs to lose their seat across the country – especially in the north and the Midlands.

The party will face another electoral test in May with local elections for the borough council and parish council while David Keane will also defend his police and crime commissioner role.

Mr Bent said: “Having lost four general elections on the trot, the big question for Labour is this: Why do Labour members keep choosing leaders that the Tories love but the voters refuse to elect as Prime Minister?

"And will that now change?”

“Labour members who sincerely backed Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn made a massive mistake, for which this town will pay the price for another five years – they owe their Labour colleagues and our communities a massive apology.”

“This crushing nationwide defeat for the Corbyn cult and Momentum is a chance to reflect and rebuild.

"The key challenge is having a more balanced party membership who truly reflect our town.

"I urge decent Warrington people who don’t want the Tories to win a fifth general election to join Labour now and help us rebuild.”

Senior Labour sources in Warrington have told the Guardian that Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and the party's Brexit stance was mentioned time and again at the doorstep during the campaign as a reason for people to abandon the party.