Former soldier Sean McCallum selected as Labour's candidate for Mansfield Mayor

An infantry veteran of the Iraq war in 2003, Sean now serves as an operational firefighter in Nottinghamshire.

He is a specialist in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, working with bluelight and military personnel, and also serves as the armed forces champion on Mansfield District Council.

Speaking about his selection, he said: “I am delighted to be selected as the Mayoral candidate for Labour – now we will move forward and win in Mansfield.

“We’re committed to addressing the issues in Mansfield – building decent, affordable housing, supporting local businesses and reducing crime.”

The move comes after an internal Mansfield Labour row which led to previous candidate Paul Bradshaw stepping down.

Mr Bradshaw was initially selected as the mayoral candidate for elections in May 2019.

But he stepped down last month over issues with Labour Group Leader and parliamentary candidate Sonya Ward appearing in his campaign literature.

Last year, Coun McCallum presented a motion to Mansfield District Council to establish an Armed Forces Support Fund, which was unanimously approved.

The fund will be used to provide crisis support, to provide a hub which will be a one stop shop for assistance, to support the Armed Forces Covenant, and to support impoverished children in partnership with cadet organisations.

Speaking at the time, he said: "A veteran can find themselves in crisis when mental health issues arise, you can find yourself in crisis by virtue of losing your job. Being in crisis is not typical of all soldiers, but some may have difficulties integrating into civilian life, and can spiral into a mental health crisis."