A veteran Labour figure has threatened to resign if former Scottish MP and Jeremy Corbyn aide Katy Clark is selected for a plum seat in the north of England.

Lord Peter Smith, the leader of Wigan council, has protested that local candidates risk being sidelined.

His outburst follows report that Ms Clark will be chosen as the candidate for Leigh in June’s General Election.

The seat is currently held by former Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham, who is stepping down to stand for the newly created role of Greater Manchester Mayor.

Lord Smith warned that if Ms Clark was selected there would be a "huge backlash".

The former North Ayrshire and Arran MP, who lost out to the SNP in 2015, is thought to be vying with Wigan councillor Jo Platt.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Lord Smith said of Ms Clark: "If this woman gets the job the first thing I’ll do is resign as constituency chair. I won’t be able to work with her."

He has also tweeted: "Even Tories are letting local party members decide on who they want as their MP. Why is Labour's (National Executive Committee ruling body) not giving Leigh members same chance?"

Mr Burnham has also written to the NEC to warn that were they “to opt for a candidate with no local ties, I have to make clear that this would not be supported by the vast majority of our members and would go down very badly with the Leigh public.

“This would run the risk of losing significant support at the election and it is why it is my strong advice that this course should not be followed.”

A decision is expected shortly.