Hughes selected for Brent & Harrow

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 3rd Jan 2003

Havard Hughes: "I look forward to taking on Toby Harris and London Labour"

The Liberal Democrats this week announced that Wembley Liberal Democrat Councillor, Havard Hughes has been appointed GLA Spokesperson for Brent and Harrow after a ballot of all members in both boroughs. Havard Hughes emerged the winner in a hotly contested four-candidate selection late last year and will now speak for Brent and Harrow Liberal Democrats on London matters.

"It is an honour to be chosen to speak for my party on these important issues", commented Cllr Havard Hughes. "I look forward to taking Toby Harris and London Labour to task for their neglect of Brent and Harrow."

"Labour have done nothing for London and nothing for Londoners. While much of our taxes are used to subsidise northern areas with Labour MPs, the only thing they have given us in return is tube privatisation – and we didn't want that. It's about time they started speaking up for the needs of Londoners and not just mouthing whatever nonsense the spin doctors dream up next."

"Labour have failed on every conceivable test of Government. Now they've even lost control of the economy. Blair needs to spend less time listening to George Bush and more time listening to ordinary Londoners."

"Violent crime and poverty in London are on the increase and all Labour care about is tabloid headlines about how tough they are on crime. Labour need to start focussing less on knee jerk reactions and more on the problems of poverty and social exclusion we see every day."

"Brent and Harrow are in desperate need of additional funding for their schools, public transport and sports facilities - so much so that schools are being forced to sell their playing fields to pay for much needed renovations. Its time Labour put schoolchildren first and bombing Iraq second."