It is an honour to represent the Liberal Democrats as our prospective Parliamentary Candidate in Croydon Central at the 2005 General Election.

This election is a really great opportunity for us as a party. There is no enthusiasm for either of the other two major parties – and we have a range of distinctive messages that sets us apart from them.

• We opposed the war in Iraq, and argue instead for a balanced and multilateral international system.

• We oppose identity cards and other infringements on our civil liberties, as both wrong and not practical.

• We continue to oppose tuition fees and top up fees for students.

• We believe that Britain should play a leading role in the community of Europe.

• We would offer free eye and dental checks, and free personal care for the elderly.

• We would fund these by charging income tax at a new higher rate of 50% for incomes over £100,000 a year – affecting less than 1% of the population.

These are causes that the British people agree with us on. Our leader is liked and trusted and I believe that we will do well at this election.

I joined Croydon Liberal Democrats in 1990, aged 16, and have been a member ever since. My first campaigning activity was delivering leaflets in Purley during the 1992 General Election.

I have enjoyed representing Croydon at federal (national) party conferences since 1994, and I’ve played an active role in proposing and speaking on many motions. For the last three years conference delegates have elected me to the party’s Federal Policy Committee – the committee chaired by Charles Kennedy which is responsible for overseeing the party’s policy making. I am now its Vice Chair. For the last year I’ve also been a member of the Federal Conference Committee, responsible for organising our party conferences.

I have been a Parliamentary Candidate before: at the 2001 General Election I was our candidate standing against Rt Hon Ken Clarke MP in Rushcliffe. We worked hard and made some real progress during the campaign there. I regularly write articles and the odd pamphlet about Liberal Democrat policy and how I think it ought to develop – most recently I published a pamphlet outlining how I think Liberal Democrat policy-making ought to be more dynamic and exciting.

I am strong believer in the importance of Britain playing a leading role in the European Union. I am Chair of the Liberal Democrat European Group, and an active member of the Management Board of the cross-party European Movement (in the past I have served as Chair of its National Development Committee, and President of the Young European Movement).