General Election 2017: Walsall set for repeat of bitter battle

The Express & Star understands that Mr Hansen-Luke has been approached by Conservative constituency officials to once again take on the veteran Labour MP.

It came after Prime Minister Theresa May's call for a snap election on June 8 was backed by 522 MPs to just 13 against in the House of Commons.

The Walsall North seat, which stretches from Willenhall to Bloxwich, is one of the Tories' top targets because of Mr Winnick's slender 1,937 vote majority.

• MORE: Tories target Wolverhampton as MP Rob Marris bows out

• MORE: We'll kick Tories out of West Brom and Government, promises Watson

• MORE: Big three set for election rematch in Dudley

There was no love lost between the opponents two years ago with Mr Winnick describing his rival as 'deplorable' in his winning speech at the election count.

He took exception to Mr Hansen-Luke's campaign material which had included a picture of the Labour MP's head superimposed on the body of Where's Wally and labelled 'Where's Winnick?' claiming he was rarely in his constituency.

Reacting to the comments at the time, Mr Hansen-Luke accused Mr Winnick of being 'out of touch' and failing to have a sense of humour.

This time round it will be another fascinating tussle if the pair face each other again.

Walsall voted overwhelmingly for Britain to leave the EU with 68 per cent backing Brexit. Mr Winnick, 83, campaigned and voted for Britain to remain in the EU but expected his constituents to vote the other way.

Meanwhile Mr Hansen-Luke, 46, campaigned and voted for Brexit.

He said last night: "I made a promise to the constituency party that if there was a by-election within 18 months of the last General Election I would stand again.

"Obviously we are slightly beyond that period so it is a decision I must make with my wife and my family."

The Conservative Party is expected to announce its candidate by the end of the week.

Mr Winnick, who abstained in yesterday's vote, said: "Who the Tories choose as their candidate is entirely their business. It's not for me to comment one way or the other.

"I am honoured to have been asked by my constituency party to be the candidate again.

"I hope it will be a clean campaign but I may be wrong. Most voters, whatever their politics or lack of politics, are adverse to fighting in the gutter."

The Labour backbencher used his 2015 victory speech to launch a scathing attack on his Tory counterpart.

He said: "I have only once previously complained about the conduct of the Conservative candidate, and that was in 1987, on all other occasions they fought a fair fight. But I deplore – deplore! – the way the Conservative candidate has conducted his campaign.

"I don't like saying it but it should be said. He should be thoroughly ashamed of what he has put on social media and I say to him, by such conduct, one wonders whether he should be in the House of Commons at all."

Mr Hansen-Luke told the Express & Star afterwards: "You often hear of a sore loser but it's unusual to hear of a sore winner. In some ways it's flattering that someone like me, just starting out in politics, can rattle a 35-year-old veteran.

"He ought to have a better sense of humour. I was just playing on the Where's Wally cartoon character. It shows he's out of touch. He should be used to the rough knockabout humour of the House of Commons. Really he's missed the point.

"Walsall's got great potential and he should have recognised that in his speech rather than blaming others."

Walsall North has been a Labour seat since 1979 when Mr Winnick overturned Conservative Robin Hodgson's 4,379 majority.

In 2015, 8,122 people in Walsall North voted for Ukip while 12,455 backed Mr Hansen-Luke and 14,392 supported Mr Winnick.

Elsewhere in the borough Conservative Wendy Morton will defend the Tory stronghold of Aldridge-Brownhills while incumbent Labour MP Valerie Vaz will contest the Walsall South seat.