A former mayoral candidate will run for office again – this time in the Nottinghamshire market town of Mansfield.

Conservative George Jabbour revealed he will stand for the mayoral candidacy in elections next year just six months after losing here.

The Conservative hopeful told the Watford Observer he “won’t give up” in his quest to “serve the country” that gave him a start in life, despite losing five different elections across the UK in the past three years.

The Syrian-born businessman, who is the first person to have stood in elections in every part of the UK, said voters care more about “what their politicians have to offer than how long they have lived in the area”.

Mr Jabbour ran for Mayor of Watford when Liberal Democrat Dorothy Thornhill stood down in May. He came third after Liberal Democrat Peter Taylor and Labour candidate Councillor Jagtar Singh Dhindsa.

In May 2017, Mr Jabbour came second in Doncaster’s mayoral race.

Three months earlier in February, he came 13th out of 14 during the election of members of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Belfast South Constituency.

He also came second in Welsh Assembly elections in Bridgend in May 2016 and third in the Inverclyde County constituency, in Scotland, in the May 2015 general election.

Mr Jabbour, who moved to the Nottinghamshire town earlier this year, is standing there because he said he “understands the local issues”. His new campaign slogan is George4Mansfield.

The mayoral candidate ran a similar slogan here in 2017-18 – George4Watford.

There are other parallels with Watford. Despite having a Conservative MP, the council there has no Conservatives, with a mix of independents and Labour councillors. The town has had an independent mayor since 2002.

Mr Jabbour said he was “absolutely delighted” to be selected in Mansfield.

He added: “As an immigrant who moved to the UK in 2004, I am determined to use my skills and experience to serve the country that gave me a home, an education, a job and the opportunity to start my small business. That is why I’m involved in politics as a Conservative.

“I had a very happy experience standing as the Conservative candidate for Mayor of Watford. I had a wonderful time, learned a lot, campaigned on local issues and made a difference in the community.

“Although I didn’t win the election, we won a positive swing from the incumbent party and increased the share of the vote by over a quarter, our largest in any previous mayoral election in Watford and the highest for any Conservative mayoral candidate in the country in 2018.

“However, I won’t give up!

“I moved to Mansfield earlier this year, spoke with thousands of residents, became an active member of the community and understood the local issues. I’m honoured to have been voted by the local members as the Conservative candidate for Mayor.

“I’m also grateful for the support and references that Watford Conservatives provided to help me win Mansfield’s mayoral selection.

“As the first person to have stood for election in every part of the country (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the North and South of England) and improved the results throughout, I know that voters care more about what their politicians have to offer than how long they have lived in the area.”

Watford MP Richard Harrington said: “George is a dedicated and capable candidate. He worked very hard for Watford. We wish him well in his future runs for elected office.”