Bell selected for Weston: "We will win seat back"

4.02.53pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 17th Jun 2006

Mike Bell has been selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Weston

Weston-super-Mare Liberal Democrats have overwhelmingly backed local councillor Mike Bell to be their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the next General Election.

At a packed hustings meeting last night, Councillor Bell was chosen from amongst a strong field of local and national candidates to succeed Brian Cotter, who lost his seat in last year's General Election.

Speaking following his selection, Mike Bell said: "I am delighted and honoured to have been chosen as the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for my home town of Weston-super-Mare. I am absolutely determined that the Liberal Democrats will win this seat back at the next General Election, whenever it comes.

"This is the second most marginal seat in the South West and I will be working hard with our team of councillors and campaigners to make sure that local people have a real alternative to the Conservatives here."

Mike is 32 and was born and raised in Weston. He is a member of both Weston Town Council and North Somerset Council and in 2005 contested the neighbouring Parliamentary seat of Woodspring, achieving the best swing against the Conservatives in the region. He lives in Weston's 'Locking Castle' development with his partner Clare. A former student of Worle School and Weston Sixth Form College, Mike now works in Weston as an magazine and web editor for a small publishing business.

The Chairman of Weston Constituency Liberal Democrats, Councillor Mark Canniford, added: "We have an outstanding candidate in Mike Bell. He is experienced, effective, local and a well known and popular figure. He will be an excellent candidate and a great MP."