"We can win," says Welsh Lib Dem Euro candidate

1.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Jul 2008

The Welsh Lib Dems can win a European MP next year

Welsh Liberal Democrat members across Wales have selected Dr. Alan Butt Philip as their lead candidate for the 2009 European Parliament elections. And having won one election, Alan Butt Philip is confident he can lead the campaign to become the first Welsh Liberal Democrat MEP.

Based on the 2007 Regional Assembly Election, an election that resembles the European Elections in its proportionality, the Welsh Liberal Democrat's only need a 2.45% swing from Labour to take the fourth seat. Taking the constituency vote, the swing required drops to less than 1%. If turnout at the 2005 General Election were repeated, the Welsh Liberal Democrats would win the seat comfortably.

Mike German, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said:

"I am very pleased that Dr. Alan Butt Philip has been voted by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to be our lead candidate in the European Parliamentary elections. This year, we have a very strong chance of taking that fourth seat, ensuring that our MEPs better reflect the political make-up of Wales.

"If we look at elections since 2004, the swing needed for a Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate to gain a seat from Labour has decreased from 3.83% in the 2004 European elections down to 2.45% in the Regional vote of the 2007 Assembly elections - the most comparable and most recent result that resembles the EU proportional vote.

"Since the 2004 local government elections, the vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats has increased. We hope to further increase our vote in next year's European election and win that 4th seat from Labour."

Following Labour's disastrous set of local government elections result, the Welsh Liberal Democrats will seek to pick up a fourth seat when voters across the European Union go to the polls on 4th June 2009.

Dr Alan Butt Philip, lead Euro Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate said:

"I am delighted to be the lead candidate for the Welsh Liberal Democrats for the European Parliamentary Elections. If everyone who voted for the party at the local elections does so again, we will be able to make that Euro breakthrough. I will be campaigning very hard across Wales to make sure that the Welsh Liberal Democrats are represented in the European Parliament."

NOTES:

The Welsh Liberal Democrat European result was:

1. Alan Butt Philip

2. Kevin O'Connor

3. Nick Tregoning

4. Jackie Radford

Wales' four MEP seats are currently held by Labour (2), Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives.