MID SUSSEX FIRST TO SELECT PPC FOR 2009

At a packed meeting in Haywards Heath Town Hall on Friday, local Liberal Democrats again selected well-known local campaigner Serena Tierney to fight the parliamentary seat for them at the next general election.

Councillor Graham Knight, Leader of the Lib Dem Group on MSDC said:

"Serena is an excellent parliamentary campaigner. Last May she led us to a 5% increase in our vote and a reduction in the Tory majority by 1000. This is now a marginal seat for the Tories. We are confident that she will lead us to a Lib Dem victory and will be our MP after the next election."

Mid Sussex is the first parliamentary seat in the country where the Lib Dems have selected their candidate for the next General Election. Ms Tierney defeated experienced opposition in the selection contest.

Constituency Chair, Bill Morrison said:

"This shows that Mid Sussex is serious about winning this seat at the next election. We have introduced a new constituency structure designed for effective campaigning at all times. With the selection of our PPC we now have the full team in place to ensure that we beat the Tories."

Serena Tierney, said:

"I am delighted and honoured to be chosen again to lead the campaign for a Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Sussex. I look forward to continuing to work with the many community and campaign groups in Mid Sussex that I have already had the chance to meet and to working with many more people over the next few years."

Background:

Serena Tierney, a solicitor and international commercial mediator, fought the Mid Sussex seat at the 2005 General Election.

She increased the Lib Dem share of the vote by 5% - the best result in the South East of England and reduced the majority of the sitting Tory MP to 5890. Requiring only a 5.8% swing to win Mid Sussex is one of the Lib Dems' top target seats in the South East.

She has a strong record of successful campaigning activity. At the 2001 General Election, she was campaign manager for Teignbridge, which was won from the sitting Tory ex-minister with the biggest majority among the Lib Dem gains made that night.

She chaired the party's commerce working group and produced the policy document "Setting Business Free" that led to the party adopting the policy to abolish the Dti. She was a member of the Federal Policy Committee from 2001 - 2004.

Serena has provided libel advice and training to the party and acts as an adviser to MPs on intellectual property and related questions.