Standard Bearer Chosen by Westbury Liberal Democrats

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 9th Sep 2002

Duncan Hames is the new prospective parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats in the Westbury constituency. Duncan, a strategy consultant with the public sector practice of Bath-based Deloitte Consulting, takes over from David Vigar who contested the seat at the last General Election. He was the overwhelming choice of local members, from a short-list of three outstanding candidates, at the hustings meeting at The Laverton in Westbury last Friday evening.

Commenting after the result, Westbury constituency Chair, Vicky Landell Mills, said: "We have moved early in this Parliament to select our PPC because Westbury is high on the national list of Liberal Democrat key seats. Our members are delighted to have attracted someone of the calibre of Duncan Hames to be our political spokesperson. We shall be re-doubling our efforts to strengthen our organisation and campaigning."

Commenting on his selection, Duncan Hames, who lives in Trowbridge, said: "It is a great honour to be chosen for the Westbury constituency. This part of Wiltshire needs a powerful political voice to champion local interests. The Liberal Democrats, at both parliamentary and local government level, have always fought hard for the people of West Wiltshire. As the prospective parliamentary candidate for Westbury constituency, I will be working closely with Liberal Democrat councillors in our area to serve local people, defend local public services and ensure that Wiltshire's interests are represented effectively in Westminster."

Duncan Hames got straight to work on Monday morning, joining Bradford on Avon Liberal Democrats at a traffic count to monitor the effects of the closure of the A36 on local roads.