Peer to visit Shrewsbury and Stretton

Baroness Julie Smith, a prominent Lib Dem peer, will be in Shropshire throughout tomorrow afternoon and will visit the Shrewsbury and Atcham Constituency, meeting Lib Dem candidate Hannah Fraser, and the Ludlow Constituency, meeting candidate Heather Kidd.

She is expected to visit locations in Shrewsbury itself and Church Stretton, though an exact itinerary has yet to be announced.

The Baroness of Newnham is a fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge and a University lecturer. Her expertise is in international relations and she has worked in different parts of Europe.

Hannah Fraser said: "Julie’s vast experience of Europe, and of how important our friendly relations with the EU are, are especially relevant now. This is our last chance to stress how disastrous a hard Brexit would be to our future."

Heather Kidd added: "I know that Julie is keen to learn what our key issues are. They are, of course, the difficulties faced by our NHS and the crisis in schools funding, including the issue of free school meals.

"Our Ludlow MP is a health minister, so it is lamentable that he has not used his influence to local benefit."

Baroness Smith said: "Hannah Fraser and Heather Kidd are poised to make a great showing next week. I know that Liberal Democrats have a very strong presence in Shrewsbury and in Ludlow, indeed in recent years both have had Liberal Democrat MPs.

"With such hard-working and charismatic candidates as Heather and Hannah I expect that position soon to be recovered.

"I am very much looking forward to visiting Shropshire to talk to local people and learn the key issues here in this beautiful county."