Simon Hughes reselected as Lib Dem candidate

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 13th Apr 2007

North Southwark & Bermondsey MP Simon Hughes was last night unanimously readopted as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the seat he has represented for last 24 years.

In his speech to local party members at the Salvation Army Hall on Princess Street, Mr Hughes reflected on his 24 years as the local MP and told members what a privilege it had been to represent the people of North Southwark and Bermondsey.

Mr Hughes went on to outline the issues he will be campaigning on in each ward of the constituency over the coming months and years.

Commenting after the meeting, Mr Hughes said:

"It is a great privilege to have represented this constituency and its many communities since 1983.

"There have been many positive changes during the last 3 decades, but there is still much to achieve. I look forward to working with my Liberal Democrat colleagues on Southwark Council to build on the work we have done already to tackle poverty and the years of underinvestment in council housing."

At the meeting Mr Hughes received the endorsement of Independent journalist Simon Calder. Mr Calder, who told the meeting that he had traditionally been a Labour voter, said: "If all politics is local, then Southwark and Bermondsey could not hope for a better MP than Simon Hughes."

ENDS