Local insiders say the party is seriously hoping to win the seat from Labour, which would see the schools secretary out of a job.

The new seat replaces Morley and Rothwell and is currently held by Labour backbencher Colin Challen, who will be leaving parliament at the next general election.

It will be fought for the first time when the country next goes to the polls.

Although it's been some years since a Conservative held a council seat in the Morley and Ardsley wards, the Tories have taken four out of six seats in the two Outwood wards on Wakefield City Council.

The candidate who will fight the seat will be selected next month, with applications being accepted from next week from approved party candiates.

Chairman of Morley and Outwood Conservatives, Tony Homewood, said: "We are fighting this campaign to win and in making the seat a target the Conservative Party is showing just how serious it is in its desire to be representative of people throughout the country, with William Hague taking a specific interest in our campaign in the North.

"There is a lot of hard work to be done between now and polling day but we will be working very hard to make sure the people of Morley and Outwood have a strong local voice in Westminster."

Target seat status also means that the Tory candidate will be selected by 'open primary', where anyone registered on the electoral roll in the constituency will be able to vote to select who fights the seat.