Editing Chris Grayling (section)

===Borough councillor: 1998–2002===
Grayling was selected to contest the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]-held marginal seat of [[Warrington South]] at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], but was defeated by Labour candidate [[Helen Southworth]] by 10,807 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/612.stm|title=Results & Constituencies Warrington South – 2001|website=news.bbc.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904132230/http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/612.stm|archive-date=4 September 2019|access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> He was elected as a councillor for the Hillside ward in the [[London Borough of Merton]] in 1998 and remained on the council until 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/theresa-mays-wimbledon-set-usurps-david-camerons-notting-hill-posh-boys-1570863|title=Theresa May's 'Wimbledon set' usurps David Cameron's 'Notting Hill posh boys'|first=Paul|last=Wright|date=20 July 2016|access-date=15 July 2018}}</ref>