MP WHO TOOK TONY BENN'S SEAT COMES TO LEEDS NORTH WEST

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 28th Mar 2005

Lib Dem MP for Chesterfield Paul Holmes spent Easter Monday in Leeds North West meeting local people with Lib Dem candidate Cllr Greg Mulholland.

Mr Holmes visited residents in Otley where he launched Greg Mulholland's Free Personal Care for the Elderly petition.

He also visited Headingley and launched Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Greg Mulholland's campaign for more affordable, family housing. The campaign is calling for measures to make house-buying more affordable for first time buyers, particularly families, to give people the chance to get a first step on the property ladder.

Mr Holmes is the 4th leading Liberal Democrat to come to the marginal seat of Leeds North West in the last six weeks following visits by party president Simon Hughes MP, Ed Davey MP, Matthew Green MP and Lord Tim Razzall.

Paul Holmes commented on his visit, "I am delighted to be here in Leeds North West meeting people and talking about the issues that matter to them."

Paul Holmes also came to give the Liberal Democrat team tips on beating Labour and held an advice session with local party members. He was elected in 2001 in the previously safe Labour of Chesterfield held for many years by Tony Benn. Now with Leeds North West appearing on a leaked list of Labour marginal seats in the London Evening Standard, and with the growing fear of losing the seat to the Liberal Democrats expressed at the Labour Party spring conference, Paul Holmes was very happy to offer his advice.

"Labour have already admitted that they are worried about losing Leeds North West and it is clear that the Liberal Democrats are the challengers in the seat. When I won Chesterfield in 2001 the Labour Government was not unpopular the way it is now and we have since had the war on Iraq, more means testing for pensioners and betrayal of the manifesto promise not to introduce top-up fees for students.

"The Liberal Democrats have already been predicted to win Leeds North West by Professor John Curtice. I have been happy to share with Greg Mulholland and the team how the Liberal Democrats beat Labour in Chesterfield and that is exactly what I think will happen here."