BOTH The Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats have withdrawn their candidates from the Forest of Dean constituency for next month’s General Election.

The announcements, made on Monday morning, saw the Liberal Democrat candidate Janet Ellard pulled from the vote as her party aligned themselves with the Green Party’s Chris McFarling in a Remain alliance.

And at lunchtime, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage announced that he will be withdrawing all his candidates in seats won by the Conservatives in 2017.

That means that Rev Sam Norton, the vicar from Parkend who was to stand against incumbent Tory Mark Harper, will not be on the ballot paper.

So the choice now on December 12 is between Mark Harper, of the Conservatives, Chris McFarling, of the Green Party and the Labour Party’s Di Martin.