Paul Keetch formally re-selected as Liberal Democrat candidate for Hereford

10.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 10th Apr 2005

Paul Keetch formally re-selected as Liberal Democrat candidate for Hereford

Hereford's sitting MP Paul Keetch was unanimously selected as the Liberal Democrat Candidate for the General Election on May 5th. At a packed meeting in the function suite of the Left Bank in Hereford, Paul was formally proposed by the local Party President, Chris Green, who had himself fought the seat three times in the 1970's and 80's.

Also present and speaking in support of Paul was the national Party President, Simon Hughes, who lived in Herefordshire as a teenager and still has close family connections in the city.

In his speech of acceptance, Paul outlined the national Liberal Democrats commitments to scrapping tuition fees and top up fees, providing free personal care for the elderly, and scrapping the council tax. He also repeated a pledge he gave to the last Party conference in his role of the Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary. Commenting on the Iraq war he said "Under a Liberal Democrat Government, Her Majesty's Armed Forces will not

be at the beck and call of George W Bush".

But it was his listing of what had been achieved and what was still to be done that brought the most support. On education he said "We have a strong local message too. The Education Action Zone that brought £6 million extra into education in South Wye and South Herefordshire. New school buildings at Lea, Kingstone, Madley, Fairfield and John Kyrle - and a new High School for Whitecross."

On health he said "We have a new Hospital - yes, it is too small but just remember the

alternative that was on offer. Closing it down as they did in Kidderminster with a loss of A & E and Maternity. And when the Tories say like us that they want more beds - remind them

that this hospital was planned by them, under John Major - they decided the bed number not us or Labour. And for me, and my family, when the Tories pretend that MRSA has suddenly

come to haunt our hospitals, remind them that it existed before 1997 too. I should know - my mother died from it in Hereford when Michael Howard was Home Secretary.W

On flooding he said "We've had some success with flooding too - a scheme for Ross agreed and the £6 million scheme for Hereford now approved by the regional and national Environment Agency. It now needs just DEFRA approval. And when the Tories say they want it too, remind them it's only possible because of the £2 million contribution from ASDA - a development the Tories opposed."

On roads and transport he said "When the Tories say they will build a bypass - ask them why they didn't in 1984 when they could - with a Tory MP and a Tory Government. And ask them why this Tory Controlled Council now says that it won't press for one. What it wants is what I have always called for - a second river crossing because most of the traffic that crosses that bridge doesn't come north to south - it comes from the city going to the city. And we would invest in public transport - including school buses - not cut them as the Tories have done."

Mr. Keetch concluded by saying "There is much to do in Herefordshire. We have to build the flood defence schemes we have designed - but cure also the causes of flooding. Too many water meadows turned to producing potatoes - not enough care of our environment. We must press for another bridge - but getter public transport too like the new rail stations planned at Rotherwas. We must build more affordable housing for our young and elderly people. And we must control the spread of polytunnels that so scar our countryside. And when we plan for the Edgar Street redevelopment - don't be like the Tories and go for yet another supermarket. Raise our sights for a new civic and cultural centre for this ancient city".