Dr Sarah Wollaston confirmed as the Lib Dem Candidate for Totnes Constituency

Alan Kerr, Chair of South Hams Liberal Democrats, today confirmed that Dr Sarah Wollaston will be the Lib Dem candidate for Totnes constituency in the event of an early General Election.

"The party is in full general election mode and we are completing our preparations for an all-out campaign to retain this crucial seat." he said.

Dr Wollaston joined the Liberal Democrats last month, saying "I am joining Jo Swinson and the Liberal Democrats who are speaking out on social justice, health and the environment and making the unequivocal case for the United Kingdom's place at the heart of the European Union where we can help shape it for all our futures."

The Liberal Democrats have been the most unequivocal opponents of Brexit and at their conference this month adopted a policy that calls for a future Liberal Democrat majority government to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit.

"Sarah Wollaston has an excellent track record as a hard-working and independently-minded MP who is prepared to stand up to the Government on behalf of her constituents when that is needed" Alan Kerr said. "She is prepared to read the evidence and act in the national interest rather than follow narrow Party interest. She is prepared to stand up for the rural and coastal communities which she is privileged to represent and which are most at risk from the policies of this narrowly ideological Government.

As our candidate for Totnes constituency, she will set out the Lib Dem alternatives to the misconceived policies of the Conservatives.

The Government is obsessed by an all-or-nothing, do-or-die pursuit of an extreme Brexit that nobody voted for and for which it has no mandate. It is incapable of tackling all the other issues - our social care crisis, NHS, our housing crisis, the gig economy and rural poverty - that confront the residents of the South Hams, and Brixham and Paignton every day. We will campaign to end Brexit and get on with addressing the very real issues our citizens face. "

Alongside Sarah Wollaston as Totnes MP, two of the regions' six European Parliament Members are Liberal Democrats, including Totnes resident Caroline Voaden. The Lib Dems are the main opposition party on South Hams District Council; working with a group of Independent councillors, the Liberal Democrats control Torbay Council.