News story

7th February 2005

MP Offers to be Quizzed by Local Groups

Northavon MP Steve Webb has written out to local community groups offering to take part in any General Election public meetings that they decide to organise. In previous General Election campaigns, the candidates for the Northavon constituency have been quizzed by church groups, environmental campaigners and sixth formers, and Steve Webb has confirmed that he will be happy to take part in similar events if the General Election is held, as is widely expected later this year.

The MP has already accepted an invitation from South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth to attend an environmental hustings meeting in March, and has also agreed to be quizzed by the South Gloucestershire senior citizens forum at the end of March. He has now written to local church groups to encourage them to arrange meetings where the candidates from all the parties can be put through their paces.

Commenting, Steve Webb said:

"We have an excellent local tradition of public meetings organised by community groups during the Election campaign, and it is one that I am keen to see maintained. It is far better that local community groups, who are independent of any political party, set up these meetings, rather than political parties trying to stage-manage events of this sort. Hustings meetings organised by community groups are a vital part of our democracy and I will do all that I can to support them."