Lib Dems select Meon Valley

12.00.00am GMT Sat 9th Dec 2006

At a packed hustings meeting in Wickham on Friday evening, Meon Valley Liberal Democrats selected Liz Leffman to be their Parliamentary Candidate at the next General Election.

Welcoming the announcement, the chair of the new Meon Valley Local Party, Professor Roy Stainton, said:

"The tremendous interest shown by our members this evening reflects the very high quality of the candidates we have seen. We all leave inspired by what we have heard and we look forward to working closely with our first choice, Liz, to ensure that the Meon Valley parliamentary seat sets off the tradition of Liberal Democrat representation."

Liz Leffman, the new Meon Valley Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) said:

"Meon Valley is a new constituency, and my first priority will be to represent the interests of everybody who lives here. Right across the new constituency, people have been badly let down by the ruling Conservatives on the County Council. Bus services have been cut, adult social services have been threatened, and roads and drains are poorly maintained, leading to regular flooding. I will be campaigning to ensure that the interests of local people are heard and responded to.

"There are plans for the building of thousands of new homes in Meon Valley, and I will be holding the County Council to account over this, and in particular over the provision of necessary services and infrastructure.

"I look forward very much to working with Martin Tod, the recently selected prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for Winchester to ensure that the interests of those in both our constituencies and who live in the area covered by Winchester City Council are properly represented."