Liz Lynne Welcomes Former MP to the Liberal Democrats

11.49.58am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Apr 2005

West Midlands Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Liz Lynne has today welcomed former Labour MP Brian Sedgemore to the party.

Liz remembers Brian from her days as an MP as a person who stood up for what he believed in whether it was popular or not.

She said:

"Over the last few years the Labour Party have left Brian not the other way around. The Labour Party he joined would never have thought of introducing tuition fees ,locking people up without trial or leading the country in to an illegal war.

"What is clear now is that those who have always voted Labour now feel the party has deserted them and are looking for an alternative. At this election there is only one alternative - the Liberal Democrats.

"Brent East, Leicester South, Birmingham Hodge Hill and Hartlepool all saw people leaving the Labour Party in massive numbers and that trend has continued in this election. These By-Elections also disproved the myth that voting Liberal Democrat will let Michael Howard in. In all these seats the Conservatives started 2nd and finished third or fourth.

"In the West Midlands I am confident we will return more MPs to the commons on May 5th."

ENDS