Leominster's most successful candidate of the last century helps get General Election 2010 off to a flying start! (North Herefordshire Liberal Democrats)

North Herefordshire Liberal Democrats <info@northherefordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Leominster's most successful candidate of the last century helps get General Election 2010 off to a flying start!

April 8, 2010 10:52 AM

Roger Pincham and Lucy Hurds at The Royal Oak, Leominster.

Roger Pincham wishes Lucy Hurds every success in the 2010 Election campaign.

In October 1974, Liberal candidate Roger Pincham came within 579 votes of winning Leominster constituency, having first fought the seat in 1970. On Friday 26th March, The Liberal Democrats celebrated the 40-year anniversary of his candidacy with a grand party at the Royal Oak in Leominster.

Party members and supporters came together to pay tribute to the impact that Roger had on Liberalism in The County. Paul Keetch, MP for Hereford, spoke of his memories of Roger and his work with many Young Liberals who then went on to have successful careers in politics themselves.

The timing of this celebration is no coincidence: with the constituency now almost back to the boundaries from Roger's time, the election this year sees the Lib Dems hoping to win the newly-renamed North Herefordshire constituency. The Tenbury Wells area returns to West Worcestershire constituency, which now extends from the Kington area in the West, to Ledbury in the East, and down to Brampton Abbotts on the outskirts of Ross-on-Wye.

Current Lib Dem candidate Lucy Hurds will be fighting to become the first MP of the new constituency. With public discontent about MPs' expenses and conduct still running high, many current MPs such as Leominster's Bill Wiggin (Conservative) are expected to face serious challenges in what were once safe seats.