CHARLES KENNEDY LAUNCHES GENERAL ELECTION IN LEEDS NORTH WEST

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 5th Apr 2005

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy flew in to Leeds North West today to launch the Liberal Democrats regional 2005 General Election Campaign.

Leeds North West is the top target for the Liberal Democrats in West Yorkshire and with Mr Kennedy on the platform was Liberal Democrat candidate for Leeds North West, Greg Mulholland and Harrogate MP Phil Willis.

Charles spent the day flying around the country but the event in Leeds was the first time he addressed the press after Tony Blair formally announced the election.

Cllr Greg Mulholland, who is one of the 18 Lib Dem Councillors in Leeds North West said, "We were delighted Charles chose Leeds North West to launch the region's Liberal Democrat General Election campaign. It is a clear demonstration of the belief that the Liberal Democrats can win the seat on May 5th".

Mr Kennedy visited the seat before the successful local elections last year, when the Liberal Democrats had a sensational result taking all 3 seats from the Conservatives in Otley & Yeadon. This gave the Lib Dems no less than 18 councillors representing part of Leeds North West, 3 times as many as the other parties, and putting the Lib Dems in pole position to take the seat.

Mr Kennedy has said of the launch, "We are going into this general election well ahead of where we were 4 years ago and we expect to win seats from Labour and the Conservatives here in Yorkshire.

"We are very hopeful of winning here in Leeds North West. Greg Mulholland and the team have been leading the campaign and Greg is the only one of the candidates who both lives here and already represents local people as a Councillor".