Remarkable Results

[2 May 2008] It was a pretty good night for the Liberal Democrats in the North West - defending what was seen as a "high water mark" as seats last fought in the 2004 election were contested this time. Though the Iraq war is much less of a factor we performed around as well this time, showing the party is growing.

• Retained control of Liverpool, South Lakeland and Stockport
• Retained control and gained from Labour in Rochdale
• Took control of Burnley with five gains
• Made 4 gains in Oldham, becoming largest party with exactly half the seats
• Came just one seat from taking control of Warrington
• We lost control of Pendle but remain largest party

This Spring's Must-Have

[10 March 2008] Selling like hot cakes at Federal Conference in Liverpool - the "Lib Dems - Beating the Bad News Party - Bringing Britain Together" mug.

Yours for just five pounds either at Lib Dem events in the region (such as the Gala Dinner in June) or by dropping in to the regional office in Stockport to buy in person.

All the costs of producing the mugs have now been paid so for every £5 you pay, £5 goes to the Wolf Fund helping Lib Dems campaigning against the BNP.

Selections Gather Pace

Are you a Liberal Democrat member interested in standing for Parliament? If so you need to go through the approval process to become a PPC and then apply for a seat as they come up. We are holding regular approval days in the North West, so contact the regional office on 0161 477 0939 for an approval pack as the first step.

Recently Advertised
Bootle - returning officer David Crowther, 01925 290232. Closing date 9th May.

Manchester Gorton - returning officer David Crowther, 01925 290232. Closing date 9th May.

Wyre & Preston North - returning officer Bill Greene, 01254 390332. Closing date 15th March.

Bolton North East, Bolton South East, Bolton West - returning officer Bruce Hubbard, 0151 526 4932. Closing date 1st February.

News of upcoming selections is published in Lib Dem News weekly.

Recent Selections

Dates for your diary

Some key dates for Lib Dems in the North West in 2008

7 - 9 March: Federal Conference, Liverpool
15 March: Regional Spring Conference
20 June: Annual Gala Dinner, Haydock Park

Sir Ming a great friend of the North West

(16 Oct) "Sir Ming Campbell was a great friend and regular visitor to the North West" says Chair of the North West of England Liberal Democrats Councillor Gill Gardiner who accompanied Sir Ming on a number of trips in the region in recent years. Sir Ming Campbell has this evening resigned as Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Gill added "Liberal Democrats in the North West are united tonight in paying tribute to Sir Ming Campbell for his hard work in our region and for the support that he gave to the North West Party.

Sir Ming Campbell made a huge impact in Westmorland and Lonsdale during the 2005 General Election when he came to support Tim Farron's successful bid to become the area's Member of Parliament after 95 years of Tory rule in the Constituency. Sir Menzies and Lady Elspeth, his wife, also enjoyed holiday time in the Lake District.

Sir Ming spoke out strongly against the Iraq War at the Liberal Democrats North West Regional Conference in Rossendale within days of becoming Party Leader in 2006, and was welcomed by over a thousand supporters to a celebration Dinner with Liberal Democrats from ethnic groups from across the region later that year.

Sir Ming enjoyed campaign visits, during his time as Party Leader, to Liverpool, Manchester, Stockport and to Rochdale - his most recent speech being to a packed Great Hall at Rochdale Town Hall on Friday night, (October 12th), where Liberal Democrats were celebrating taking outright control of Rochdale under Sir Ming's Leadership in May 2007.

This year's local elections in the North West saw the Liberal Democrats top the poll across fourteen Parliamentary seats in the North West from Warrington South to Burnley and from Liverpool Wavertree to Oldham East and Saddleworth. We thank Sir Ming for his leadership, support and success in get us ready for the General Election in the North West whenever Labour
dare call it."

Dalton Duo choose Liberal Democracy

(3 Oct) Two Barrow Councillors have crossed from the Tories to the Lib Dems only hours before David Cameron's keynote Blackpool speech.

As Tory Leader David Cameron prepares to speak at the party's Blackpool Conference, father and daughter Councillor team Gordon and Lynn Murray, who represent the neighbouring Wards of Dalton South and Dalton North on Barrow Borough Council, are today leaving the Conservatives to become the first ever Liberal Democrat Councillors on Barrow Council.

Councillor Lynn Murray will say "We are joining the Liberal Democrats because they are an open, modern and welcoming party where we will be encouraged to speak out for the residents of our area and where we can be fully involved in forming and deciding party policies at all levels. A
growing team of Liberal Democrats are out there fighting for local issues, for local people and for local communities. We join that growing team.

We hope the Furness people recognise that in taking this bold step, we can break the mould of local politics, bring in cooperation and take out constant confrontation. This will be better for our politicians, and most of all, better for our people."

Chair of the North West of England Liberal Democrats Councillor Gill Gardiner adds "I am pleased that Councillors Lynn and Gordon Murray have chosen to join the Liberal Democrats today. We have been a one member, one vote party for many years where people are encouraged to have their say. I know that they will feel at home with us.

We, as Liberal Democrats, have doubled our number of MPs and our number of MEPs in the last three years in the North West region. Tim Farron's spectacular win in 2005 to become the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, the neighbouring seat to Barrow, has shown that the Liberal Democrats are now the effective, alternative voice to Labour in Cumbria and the North West. Councillors Lynn and Gordon Murray joining our team today will make us an even stronger voice for the North West."

Lib Dems take Rochdale!

There were some great results for the Liberal Democrats in the North West on May 3rd.

We gained control of Rochdale council, with a net gain of two wards to hold 32 of the 60 council seats.  We retained control of the four existing Lib Dem councils around the region - South Lakeland, Pendle, Liverpool and Stockport.  Across our six parliamentary seats we "won" each on share of the vote, doing better than we did in 2006 in each. We also performed well in some of the most winnable seats for the next General Election, suggesting that in the North West the party can move forward again next time around (in 2005 we doubled our MP seats from 3 to 6).

Not all the results were as good as we would like, and we made a net loss of a few council seats across the region, but those losses were concentrated in a few areas rather than a general trend.