Local anti-crime campaigner chosen as Parliamentary Champion

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 21st Oct 2003

Charles Anglin, local Kennington councillor & Vauxhall resident for nearly a decade has been chosen by Vauxhall Liberal Democrats as the local Parliamentary Spokesman. He is currently leading for the Lib Dems on anti-crime measures on Lambeth Council, fighting for more police on the beat, better lighting and a safer area.

The hustings meeting was held at St Peter's Heritage Centre in Kennington on 20 October. Mr Anglin was chosen by an overwhelming majority of local party members.

Rob Blackie, Chair of Vauxhall Lib Dems, said "Charles Anglin will be an excellent Parliamentary candidate for Vauxhall, and we have high hopes of making Vauxhall a Liberal Democrat constituency."

Talking of his appointment and the challenges ahead, Charles said,

"I'm honoured & delighted by this result. There's a big job ahead but as Brent East showed, with hard work the Liberal Democrats can win anywhere in London.

"Vauxhall is good territory for the LibDems, we gained 4 council seats from Labour last May. Our vote rose both in the 2001 General Election and in last year's local elections. We are the only party who can beat Labour - the Tories are out of it - they've only got 1 councillor in the whole constituency, and came a poor third last time in Vauxhall.

"Local people have had enough of Tony Blair & New Labour, they know that only the Liberal Democrats have the policies to tackle crime, abolish tuition fees and defend the NHS. I will be fighting for local people & local services and I'm fighting to win".

Ends

Notes to editors -

32 year-old Charles has lived in Lambeth for 9 years and has been a local Lib Dem campaigner throughout that time. He was brought up in south London. Charles has been a councillor in Lambeth since 2002 for the Princes ward, covering Kennington and Vauxhall, and has previously held positions on the Federal Executive and Federal Policy Committee of the national Liberal Democrats.

He runs his own PR company, which offers advice to charities and other organizations on how to deal with Government. On the Council Charles has led turn around in the way Lambeth combats crime, restoring relations with the police and coordinating a clampdown on crack houses which has seen the number open fall from 84 to 23, and a 36% fall in street-crime over the same period.