GREG MULHOLLAND JOINS CHARLES KENNEDY ON WALKABOUT

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 8th Mar 2005

Greg Mulholland joined party leader, Charles Kennedy for a walkabout during the Liberal Democrats successful pre election conference in Harrogate which saw the party in buoyant mood with the prospect of gains from Labour and the Conservatives at the general election. The party have held the Harrogate seat since 1997.

Firmly on the agenda were the seats the Lib Dems hope to win in the region including the party's excellent chance of winning Leeds North West with the incumbent MP standing down and the Liberal Democrats having 3 times as many councillors in the seat as the other parties.

Charles Kennedy commented, "We are fighting to win seats from Labour and the Conservatives at the general election and here in Yorkshire we have a great chance to win Leeds North West from Labour as well as beating Shadow Home Secretary David Davis in Haltemprice and Howden."

Added Greg Mulholland, "The party is now seen as the real alternative to Labour nationally and here in Leeds North West we look forward to giving people a clear choice between Tony Blair's New Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The more we get out and speak to people, the more people like what they hear. It's time we restored the trust in politics that has been so shattered over things like the decision to go to war and the Labour manifesto u-turn on university top-up fees."