General Election 2017: Four candidates fighting for Ludlow seat
Three parliamentary candidates have now been announced to run against Philip Dunne for the Ludlow constituency seat in the forthcoming general election.
Lib Dem, Labour and Green challengers will be looking to gain control of what has traditionally been a safe Conservative seat – but not that safe as it was successfully won by Lib Dem Matthew Green in 2001 before Mr Dunne took it back for the Tories in 2005.
Mr Dunne held the seat, which covers the majority of south Shropshire, in the 2010 general election with a stronger majority and again increased his share of the vote in 2015. During his time he has risen to become first a defence minister, then Minister for Health.
The Lib Dems will be challenging again, this time with long-standing Shropshire councillor Heather Kidd taking up the baton. South Shropshire Green Party co-ordinator Hilary Wendt will be standing for the Greens, and Labour have put forward Bridgnorth campaigner Julia Buckley.
Heather Kidd is a well known and vocal Lib Dem councillor in the local authority, having been elected to South Shropshire District Council in 1996, becoming its leader in 2003. She was elected to Shropshire Council for the Chirbury and Worthen ward in 2009 and re-elected with 81 per cent of the vote in 2013, so may prove a strong challenger.
For the Green Party, Ms Wendt is a long-time campaigner in south Shropshire, has a background in community mental health services.
She said: "That’s given me a strong sense of how poverty and inequality sap people’s health and undermines communities. The Green Party is the only party that says we must place wellbeing for all at the centre of our policies and that our economic, educational and political systems must be the servants of that goal."
Julia Buckley is a working mum from Bridgnorth who has spent 12 years with Wolverhampton Council, where she writes funding applications for community groups, businesses and public services to secure money. She will be campaigning against any downgrading of rural maternity units or A&E services, among other local facilities.
Speaking at the announcement of the June 8 election, Mr Dunne said he will be doing his best to retain his seat.
He said: "I will be out across south Shropshire, asking voters to place their trust in me, and vote for the strong Conservative government the country needs.”
