Hertford and Stortford Lib Dems prepare for next General Election by naming Helen Campbell as their candidate
Liberal Democrats have picked their candidate to wrestle the Hertford and Stortford constituency from the Conservatives at the next General Election.
Helen Campbell, a Hertfordshire County Council member for St Albans North and former business journalist, came to Bishop's Stortford with her party's deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, to launch the Lib Dems' campaign for the East Herts district and Stortford town council elections on May 4.
Helen, who lives in St Albans, said: "I am absolutely delighted to be selected by the Hertford and Stortford Liberal Democrats to be their candidate in the next General Election.
"I am especially pleased to be selected where the Liberal Democrats are the opposition on the district and county councils and are leading the way in holding the Conservatives to account.
"I've already spoken to hundreds of residents in our area. They're telling me that the cost-of-living crisis is really tough for them, they're concerned about large developments without the right infrastructure, they're struggling to see a doctor or dentist and they feel like they've been left without a voice.
"Whether it's the Old River Lane proposals, the Briggen Estate quarry plans or concerns over mass house-building without sufficient infrastructure to the north and east of Ware, if I am elected as MP for Hertford and Stortford, local residents will have an MP who fights their corner and is a strong voice here and in Westminster."
The constituency's MP, Tory Julie Marson, succeeded Mark Prisk at the December 2019 General Election and has proved a controversial choice, not least because her family home remains on the Kent coast, 100 miles from Stortford.
Having twice failed to become the MP for Dagenham and Rainham in Essex, she became the first woman to represent Stortford in the House of Commons, where she is now a Government assistant whip.
The Boris Johnson and Brexit fan beat Labour's Chris Vince, a Dunmow school maths teacher and Harlow councillor, who was second, with Liberal Democrat Chris Lucas, a college lecturer, third.
However, while the two main parties' share of the vote was down on the June 2017 General Election – with the Tories on 56.1% (down 4.2%) and Labour on 23.4% (down 5.1%) – the Lib Dems' share was up 6.2% at 14.3%.
Ms Cooper, who is St Albans MP, said: "Helen is an experienced councillor and passionate campaigner who puts people first.
"I know that Helen will take the fight to the Conservatives and, if elected, will give the residents of Hertford and Stortford what they deserve – a hard-working community champion who will represent them properly here and in Westminster."
Bishop's Stortford's Cllr Mione Goldspink, leader of the Liberal Democrat group at East Herts Council, said: "We were all delighted and honoured that Daisy Cooper chose to come to support all that we are doing in East Herts and Bishop's Stortford and we were very encouraged by the positive responses which we received on the doorsteps."
District and town or parish council elections will take place on May 4. Currently, East Herts Council has 39 Conservatives, six Lib Dems, two Labour, two Greens and one Independent member. Bishop's Stortford Town Council has 17 seats occupied by 12 Tories, four Lib Dems and one Labour member.
