Munira Hassam selected to challenge Alan Keen at the next general election

11.48.16am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 20th May 2007

On Thursday 17 May, Feltham & Heston Constituency Liberal Democrats selected Munira Hassam as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate to fight the next general election.

Munira is a councillor in the neighbouring ward of West Twickenham and works for a leading international children's charity campaigning on issues such as child poverty in the UK.

Speaking to local party members Munira Hassam slammed local MP Alan Keen for being unresponsive and for not being easily accessible to local residents. Munira said that Feltham and Heston is crying out for a Liberal Democrat voice to stand up for local people.

Munira promised to fight for greater investment in local youth services and for more effective means of tackling crime and anti-social behaviour. She will also continue to campaign against further expansion of Heathrow airport and for better public transport services.

Commenting on the Labour Government's record, she said "local people feel betrayed by a Labour Government that's taken them for granted - Iraq, tuition fees, illiberal anti-terror laws and an evermore draconian asylum and immigration system. We see billions committed to renewing an immoral and unnecessary nuclear weapon, whilst hospitals are suffering huge deficits, class sizes don't get any smaller and almost 1 in 3 children in Feltham and Heston are living below the poverty line. It's an outrage."

Commenting on the Conservative-led local council, Munira said "Cameron's brand of cuddly conservativism hasn't spread much further west than Notting Hill. With cuts in services and a lack of conviction when it comes to real action on the environment, the Tories have yet to prove there's any substance beneath their leader's spin".

"Local people don't want the voice of Westminster here in Feltham and Heston, they want a local MP who will speak up for Feltham and Heston in Westminster, and I want to be that voice".

END

Notes to editors

You can find more information about Munira Hassam at www.munira.org.uk