Liberal Democrats select Nigel Bakhai for Ealing Southall

11.17.34pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 2nd Jul 2007

Local choice Nigel Bakhai is set to challenge Labour once more in Ealing Southall, after being selected by Ealing Southall Liberal Democrats. Nigel Bakhai doubled the Lib Dem vote at the 2005 General Election.

The Liberal Democrats are the main challengers to Labour in the seat. They were second at the last General Election.

Local Liberal Democrat Nigel Bakhai said:

"Living in the heart of the constituency I know the issues that local people face. Labour has taken our area for granted for too long.

"This election is about local people electing the best MP to represent our area.

"People here want to know why our streets aren't safe, why the local NHS is in deficit and why the government squandered millions on an illegal war in Iraq. On all these issues it is the Liberal Democrats who are taking the fight to Labour here in Ealing and Southall."

Lord Rennard, Liberal Democrat Chief Executive said:

"Nigel is a first class candidate and a very experienced local campaigner. The Liberal Democrats are the main challengers in this seat. We were second at the last General Election when our vote doubled.

"Labour know this and are running scared. They have called this by-election at extremely short notice because they know that the Liberal Democrats are the main threat.

"Many Liberal Democrat MPs have already been out campaigning in the constituency over the last few days. Menzies Campbell is set to visit Ealing Southall several times in the next few weeks to take the fight to Labour."

Nigel Bakhai lives in Hanwell, in the heart of the constituency, having first moved into the seat in 1994. His campaign website is at www.ealinglibdems.org.uk

Nigel Bakhai is the chair of the Hanwell Steering Group. He is Chair of the Elthorne Safer Neighbourhood Focus Group and Vice Chair of the Greenfields Children's Centre in Southall. Nigel Bakhai stood in Ealing Southall in 2005, more than doubling the Lib Dem vote and taking the party into second place. Nigel Bakhai has a BSC in Politics and History from the University of Bradford and a MA in International Relations from the University of Nottingham. He works as a Equipment Demand Planner for Xerox in Uxbridge.