LibDems select Stourbridge campaigner

LibDems select Stourbridge campaigner

Stourbridge and Halesowen Liberal Democrats have selected veteran Stourbridge campaigner Chris Bramall as their prospective candidate for Stourbridge (including Quarry Bank and Cradely) at the coming general election. At the LibDems' hustings meeting, held on 5th September at the Plough, Wollaston, Chris Bramall said:

"It is unfashionable to belong to a political party - but competing parties are essential to Democracy, along with single-issue campaigns, a free press, an elected Parliament and elected local councils. Why are we members of the Liberal Democrats? - Because we are passionate about democracy, and because we feel more comfortable with LibDem policies than with those of the other parties. The LibDems have a serious commitment to the environment, which is the most pressing problem facing mankind. We have given a respected lead on running the economy, where Labour has failed to control the banks, and the Conservatives are threatening suicidal cuts in spending before Britain is out of the recession. Can you trust the Conservatives to run decent public services? We have seen in Dudley what the Conservatives are capable of - they celebrated the National Year of Reading by closing four branch libraries including the locally prized library at Quarry Bank. We need cuts in bureaucracy - not cuts in frontline services.

"The LibDems can be trusted to stand firm on civil liberties and to oppose the Big Brother state which Labour seems intent on building. We are committed to giving greater power to local authorities, which have been stripped of their powers by Conservative and Labour governments. We can see locally that there is a problem of law and order - violence and vandalism show that many young people are alienated from society. The Conservatives have spoken about a 'broken society'. But society cannot be mended without tackling inequality - and only the LibDems are committed to that. In particular we are committed to a fairer system of national and local taxation.

"I am proud that our party stood out against the invasion of Iraq. And in the week of the 70th anniversary of the Second World War I am also proud that our party has always stood by the ideal of a united Europe to heal the continent's historic conflicts."

The meeting discussed grave concerns about the future of Stourbridge Town Centre and Chris Bramall denounced Dudley Conservatives for wringing their hands and letting the situation slip out of their control.

Chris Bramall lives in Wollaston. He is standing in Stourbridge for the fourth time, having previously stood in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 general elections. For nine years (1995-2004) he was a councillor for Norton Ward and deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Dudley Council. He is married to Helen and has three sons and one stepdaughter.