Standing room only at Wolverhampton South West Liberal Democrat campaign launch

9.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Apr 2008

Andrew Stunell MP speaking

The prospects of a major council election upset in Wolverhampton have been boosted after there was standing room only at the Liberal Democrat campaign launch with a senior MP at a church hall in the city earlier this evening..

Over 80 people attended St Andrew's Church Hall in St Andrew's Close as the local government spokesman Andrew Stunell MP and senior Birmingham Councillor Tariq Khan rallied support for local Liberal Democrat candidates Zahid Shah and Claire Darke.

Launching the local election campaign, Andrew Stunell MP said the key reason for the Liberal Democrat success was their all year round community campaigning approach. Andrew said "Across the UK, cities have seen their councils transformed by Liberal Democrats, from Liverpool to Newcastle and more recently in Birmingham. We listen to communities, we have the answers to problems like the unfair Council Tax. We are the only party with a costed plan to save local Post Offices, we have delivered huge increases in recycling. And we were the only party to oppose the Iraq War. On all these issues, the Conservatives have little to say. The amazing attendance at this public meeting suggests that the Liberal Democrats in Wolverhampton , especially in Park Ward and St Peter's Ward, have struck a chord."

St Peter's ward is the seat held by Labour Leader Roger Lawrence. The Liberal Democrats are already in second place. Local Liberal Democrat candidate Zahid Shah, said "I would like to thank Andrew Stunell MP and Councillor Tariq Khan for travelling here to help us launch this campaign. I am gobsmacked by the turnout, we had no idea so many people would turn up. Clearly there is a real appetite for change in Wolverhampton . We are the challengers in Park ward and in St Peter's ward. People have had enough of the way Labour is running this Council. The Labour Leader should be a worried man today."

The meeting was also addressed by Claire Darke, who is bidding to follow last year's win by Councillor Robin Lawrence and gain another seat in Park ward. Claire Darke, who edits the Focus community newsletter in Park ward, said "I am delighted to see so many people at this event. The reason I joined the Liberal Democrats is because they actually believe in doing things in the community. Labour cannot take local residents for granted any longer, especially in Park Ward or in St Peter's ward."

Zahid Shah's campaign to unseat the Labour leader was also warmly endorsed at the meeting in speeches by Dr Suvah Viz and leading Birmingham Liberal Democrat Councillor Tariq Khan. Councillor Khan said: "The Liberal Democrats mean business in Wolverhampton . Zahid Shah and Claire Darke are both excellent local campaigners who are highly respected in their local community. Anyone who wants a change needs to support them on May 1st, the Conservatives cannot win here."