Lib Dems go south – but eye gains in the North

Sep 19 2009 by William Green, The Journal

LIBERAL Democrats will use their autumn conference to stake their claim as the “main challengers” to Labour in the North.

The conference gets under way in Bournemouth today with party leader Nick Clegg recognising it will be an “important opportunity” to sell the Lib Dems to voters.

The gathering will begin the last autumn conference season before the general election, which must be held by next June.

Lib Dems are upbeat about winning more seats in the region on top of Berwick, which is held by veteran MP Sir Alan Beith, although their chances of doing so has been questioned by one Newcastle University expert. Top targets include Newcastle North and Durham City, while campaigning could also focus in Newcastle East and Wallsend, Blaydon and Wansbeck. All the seats are currently held by Labour.

Greg Stone, Lib Dem candidate for Newcastle East and a Newcastle councillor, said: “We will be looking at asserting our claims to be the progressive force in British politics. We will be looking to set out our stall for the election.”

He added the party would be staking its claim to ground surrendered by Labour, which had left “the field wide open” in terms of the key issues of the economy and trust in politics.

Mr Clegg said: “What everyone in the North East knows is that we are the main challengers to Labour and more than that by doing what we have done in Newcastle City, we have shown we can do things differently and do things better.