Labour parliamentary candidate concludes Lib Dems are right on key issues, while the Government is wrong (Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats)

Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats <info@wantagelibdems.org.uk>

Labour parliamentary candidate concludes Lib Dems are right on key issues, while the Government is wrong

April 28, 2009 11:59 AM

Alan Armitage with Chris Huhne MP during the Oxfordshire floods of July 2007

Chris Huhne, MP for Eastleigh in Hampshire, today welcomed his former Labour opponent Dan Clarke to membership of the Liberal Democrats. In a dramatic move, the adopted Labour candidate in Eastleigh threw in his lot with the Liberal Democrats and said it was a two-horse race in the key marginal constituency which ranks as the Conservative's eleventh target across the country.

"Eastleigh is a two horse race between Chris who has a proven record as a progressive politician and a hard worker for Eastleigh or Maria Hutchings, who - whatever her personal qualities - supports right wing reactionary policies on Europe, immigration and local issues," said Dan Clarke on the Labour blog Labourhome.

"I want to see greater social justice, more care taken over the environment and greater equality of opportunities. In my view, the Labour Party is no longer the party which seeks to achieve my ideals. I will leave the Labour Party and I am joining the Liberal Democrats. At the next election I will back Chris Huhne.

"I want to be a political activist who works for what is right. I have concluded that joining the Liberal Democrats will allow me to do this. Time and again, I have found myself thinking that Chris Huhne is right on issues as varied as Trident, Climate Change, the economy and civil liberties whilst the government is wrong on them," said Dan.

Chris Huhne said:"I am delighted to welcome Dan Clarke as a member of the Liberal Democrats. He is a thoughtful and committed individual who cares deeply about creating a fair and sustainable society that only the Liberal Democrats can and will deliver. Eastleigh is a key battleground seat where the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives are neck and neck, and my majority last time was just 568 votes. It is clear that Labour cannot win here," said Mr Huhne.

In Wantage and Didcot constituency, the Liberal Democrats are the challenger to the Conservatives, who hold the seat with a majority of 8000 votes. Said Lib Dem spokesman Alan Armitage: "At the next General Election, a vote for Labour in this constituency will only help the Conservatives to hang on. Any Labour supporters wanting to make a difference here should lend their votes to the Liberal Democrats."

Dan Clarke's full statement can be read on Labourhome at http://www.labourhome.org/story/2009/4/26/123957/105