UPDATE: Caroline Voaden is now the top Liberal Democrat candidate for the European elections in the South West. She’s picked up the support of former Change UK supporter Julie Girling MEP and the independent Remain United tactical voting site is calling for all Remainers to vote Lib Dem in the South West.

Totnes Liberal Democrats have selected Caroline Voaden as their new Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC).

Caroline Voaden contested South West Devon in the 2017 general election an is an ex-Reuters journalist who moved to the constituency in 2007. She was national chair of the WAY Foundation and has run her own business, Social Fabric, in Totnes. She now works as marketing coordinator for a local business.

Of her selection she says:

I’m absolutely thrilled to be selected to stand in my home constituency –

I’ve lived here for 10 years, I’ve raised my family and run a business here. I am convinced the Liberal Democrats can offer a better future for the residents of the Totnes constituency. The Conservatives have made a mess of running our district and county councils. Nationally, they are focused on Brexit at the expense of everything else. Meanwhile, the Labour party can’t decide where they stand on Brexit or if Russia is a threat to our country or not. I believe the Liberal Democrats offer a truly alternative, radical and centrist approach. We will protect our international relations, work at a global level to address the truly serious problems we all face, and work hard at a local level to restore our communities. We will fight to protect public services, such as education, social care and housing, vital to the most vulnerable in Totnes and the South Hams, from the threat of continued funding cuts by this Government. There are no Labour councillors on South Hams District Council or Torbay Council – it is the Liberal Democrats who lead the challenge to the current mismanagement of these councils by the Tories. If people are serious about ending the Conservative monopoly on power in South Devon then we are the alternative.

Alan Kerr, chair of South Hams Liberal Democrats, said:

Caroline was selected following a vote by our members in the Totnes constituency. She will be a passionate, energetic and committed Liberal Democrat candidate for Totnes. She is passionate about helping the most vulnerable and needy in our community, energetic in her campaigning for change and committed to improving how government and local councils deal with the serious problems that we have in the Totnes constituency. She will be an unflagging and forceful proponent for the needs of the community as the Lib Dem candidate, as we campaign for a better future for the residents of Totnes constituency.

Caroline Voaden’s campaign is on Facebook at facebook.com/carolinevoaden.

There’s a full list of Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate selections so far here.

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