Leech chosen to fight for Withington!

4.30.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Sep 2004

Manchester Withington Constituency Liberal Democrats have chosen local Councillor and Deputy Leader of Manchester Liberal Democrats, John Leech, as their Prospective candidate for the forthcoming General Election.

Cllr Leech said, "It is an honour to be selected to fight Withington, which is one of our best prospects throughout the whole of the North West".

Cllr Leech has been a Councillor since 1998 when he was elected to the old Barlow Moor Ward with the biggest ever Lib Dem majority. He was re-elected in 2002 with an increased majority, and following boundary changes, topped the poll in the newly created Chorlton Park ward.

The Liberal Democrats are the only serious challengers to Labour in Withington and local people are predicting a close fight between the Lib Dems and Labour. Cllr Leech said, "When I was elected to the Council in 1998 I was one of only four Lib Dem Councillors in the constituency. After a very successful set of elections in June we now have 16 out of the 21 Council seats and we have won the popular vote across the whole Constituency.

Cllr Leech will fight the election on Labour's broken promises and a Liberal Democrat guarantee to fund Metrolink, protect local Post Offices, extra support for pensioners and students and the abolition of the unfair Council Tax. Cllr leech said, "The people of South Manchester have been

let down and taken for granted by this Labour Government , which has broken its promises on funding Metrolink, student tuition fees and top up fees and saving local Post Offices."

Ends

Notes: The Liberal Democrats have 16 Councillors out of 21 in 6 of the 7 wards in the Constituency. Labour only have 5 Councillors in Chorlton and Old Moat. The Tories have no Councillors and have not won a Council seat since 1992 and came fourth behind the Greens in most parts of the Constituency.

For further information please contact Cllr John Leech on 234 3002 or 07753 659 487