Liberal Democrat Euro Candidates visit Wellington

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 12th May 2004

The Liberal Democrats "battle-bus" visited the centre of Wellington at midday on Tuesday 11 May, as part of a whistle-stop tour of the West Midlands region.

Liz Lynne, the present Liberal Democrat MEP for the region, said "We are trying to get round to as many centres as we can in the run up to the Euro elections on 10 June, and it gives us an opportunity to meet as many people as possible and listen to their concerns."

Liz Lynne was accompanied by other Liberal Democrat Euro candidates, including the number 2, Paul Tilsley, a Birmingham Councillor since 1968 and Lord Mayor in 1993-4, and Phillip Bennion, a local farmer who represents all 5 shire counties for the NFU and is currently a Staffordshire county, and Lichfield district councillor.

The visitors were welcomed by local Liberal Democrat councillors, including David Murray, the current Chairman of the Wrekin and Telford Liberal Democrats, who lives in part of The Wrekin constituency. He commented, "It is good that our candidates make the effort to get themselves known in the region, and will hopefully lead to a larger turnout at the Euro elections in June. With a lot of new countries joining the European Union, it is important that the UK has a strong voice in Europe, and I hope the West Midlands will return more Liberal Democrat MEPs this time to speak up for us."

Note: Liberal Democrat members in the West Midlands region voted in March 2003 to select their candidates for the European elections in 2004. There were 11 candidates, and they are listed in number order, according to the votes each received.