Southend Liberal Democrats unveil their team for the next General Election (Southend Liberal Democrats)

Southend Liberal Democrats <info@southendlibdems.co.uk>

Southend Liberal Democrats unveil their team for the next General Election

January 22, 2009 12:00 AM

Southend Liberal Democrats have unveiled their team of parliamentary candidates to take them into the General Election with the selection of Cllr Graham Longley for Rochford & Southend East and Peter Welch for Southend West

Graham Longley, will be the candidate again for Rochford and Southend East. He has 32 years experience of teaching in the classroom behind him but will now be working full-time on the campaign. Graham has an unrivalled knowledge of Southend and is currently Leader of the Liberal Democrat group of the Council. He was born in Southend, and has been both Mayor and Leader of the Council achieving many successes in the town during his administration. Graham was a superb candidate in 2005 when he more than doubled the vote in Rochford & Southend East. Liberal Democrats are hoping that he can do it again and go on to win the seat.

Peter Welch will be the candidate in Southend West. Peter is well known among Liberal Democrats as one of the European candidates for the region, and brings a wide experience of politics at national and international level.

His experience as an auditor includes looking at the way UK governments spend our money in Whitehall, working in South America and with the United Nations. Most recently Peter has been part of the team that identified the problems in the European Union accounts. Liberal Democrats expect him to do very well in Southend West - a constituency they have consistently done well and came close to winning in 1997."

Cllr Mike Grimwade, Chairman of Southend Liberal Democrats said

"We are delighted with our choice of parliamentary candidates/spokesmen to take us forward towards the next General Election in Southend. They give us a unique blend of background and skills, ranging from local roots to national - and even international - skills and experience.

Commenting on the selection, Cllr Peter Wexham, Liberal Democrat candidate in Southend West in 2005 said

"I am very pleased with the dynamic team we have selected for the next election. I am sure they will work well together and be united in campaigning across the town. I will definitely be working hard to get Peter and Graham elected."

Cllr Graham Longley expressed his delight at being asked to fight again and promised to continue to use his local presence to good effect for the benefit of Rochford & Southend East and looked forward to representing the constituency in Parliament.

Peter Welch added "I am enormously pleased to be part of a team that is battling hard for the residents of the town. There is a very strong Liberal Democrat tradition here in Southend West and it is a privilege to be taking that forward."

After being selected for the seats both candidates got busy immediately by launching a Local Business Survey from Southchurch to Leigh in order to find out how the economic crisis was affecting local companies.