The REAL Alternative - In every corner of the UK

9.22.29am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 5th Apr 2005

The REAL Alternative

On the day that the Prime Minister dissolved parliament for the General Election Charles Kennedy MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, today welcomed into the Party Cllr Stephen Wilkinson - until yesterday Labour's parliamentary candidate for Ribble Valley and a Labour member of Lancashire County Council.

Commenting on this early election boost Ashford Liberal Democrat candidate Chris Took said "I know how much time and effort is put into being a parliamentary candidate, for Cllr Wilkinson to make such a strong decision on the day an election is called shows great courage."

Cllr Wilkinson himself commented "Like many former Labour voters and activists, I feel angry that Labour have become increasingly authoritarian and failed to safeguard civil liberties. They have used the threat of terror to push for house arrest and compulsory ID cards and to justify the illegal war in Iraq.

"Who could have thought that a Labour government would become a lapdog to George Bush's right wing Republican administration."

"Charles Kennedy's Liberal Democrats come across as honest and straightforward. I believe that Charles Kennedy and the Liberal Democrats offer hope for the future. They are a principled alternative to Labour. The Conservatives are neither principled nor credible."

Charles Kennedy added "There are now no no-go areas for Liberal Democrats, and polling day will see our party make great strides into urban Britain where we are clearly the alternative to Labour."