Remembering the Fighting Parson - Rev Roderick Kedward

1.14.24pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 8th Dec 2004

Ashford Liberal Democrat's Parliamentary spokesman Chris Took today paid homage to Ashford's most famous Liberal, the Fighting Parson, Reverend Roderick Kedward.

Ashford's oldest residents and local historians will remember that in 1929 Kedward overturned a Conservative majority of 38.6% by increasing the Liberal vote from 22% to 46%.

At a time when Liberal support was being overtaken by the Labour Party, Kedward's victory was all the more spectacular. It was achieved in part by the Reverend's fight against an unpopular form of taxation at the time, the Tithe.

In much the same way the Liberal Democrats today are campaigning against another unjust form of taxation, the council Tax. Liberal Democrat policy is to replace the Council tax with a system based on the ability to pay, rather than a system skewed by the size of your property.

"In the 75th year of Kedward's election, I would encourage all local people to find out more about this extraordinary local man."