Jo Shaw is Lib Dem choice for next Holborn and St Pancras MP

10.03.04am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 20th Feb 2007

Jo Shaw believes Holborn and St Pancras deserves more national attention and support

Liberal Democrats in Holborn and St Pancras have chosen local campaigner Jo Shaw to contest the seat at the next General Election. Jo lives in the centre of the constituency just off Chalk Farm Road, is a school governor in Primrose Hill, works in Holborn, and was a key member of the campaign team that won the Kentish Town by-election for the Lib Dems in December 2006.

Liberal Democrats ran Labour a close second in Holborn and St Pancras at the 2005 General Election, slashing Labour MP Frank Dobson's majority to less than 5000 votes. If the same swing is repeated again, the seat will return a Lib Dem MP the next time it is contested.

Speaking after her selection at a standing-room only meeting at the Irish Centre in Camden Square, Jo stressed the importance of public services, protection of civil liberties, and a consensual approach to international relations. She also attacked the Blair government's refusal to release the promised funds to support the upkeep of council housing in Camden.

On being selected Jo said: "I am delighted to be selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Holborn and St Pancras. I am incredibly proud to be given the chance to represent my party here, an area which I have known all my life.

"I look forward to carrying on the fantastic work that Jill Fraser did at the General Election in 2005 and which she continues to do as our first Liberal Democrat Mayor of Camden. At the last General Election, Labour's majority over the second placed Liberal Democrats was slashed to a very vulnerable 4787. Huge numbers of local residents chose to switch from Tony Blair's Labour party to the Liberal Democrats.

"Despite having a Labour Member of Parliament for decades, our area has not received the national attention and support it deserves. I welcome the opportunity of fighting for our residents, putting their problems and their concerns higher up the national agenda."

Councillor Jill Fraser, who fought the seat in 2005 and has now become Camden's first Lib Dem Mayor, added: "I am absolutely thrilled at the result. Jo is the right person for the job. She will lead the local Liberal Democrats to greater successes and I am with her all the way."

Jo studied law in Holborn and works as a lawyer in the fields of housing, employment and family law. She has done voluntary work for Shelter and ran in the Great North Run collecting money for the human rights group Liberty.

Related Link:

Lib Dems win Kentish Town by-election.