Leadership contenders rally local support

It was standing room only as 100 local Liberal Democrat Party Members crowded into the Bear Hotel to hear Leadership contender Chris Huhne MP make his case and answer questions. The meeting was also filmed for broadcast by BBC West.

Many local members also went to Bristol hear acting Leader Sir Menzies Campbell MP set out his programme for Leader.

Both Candidates were joined last week by the third contender, current Party President Simon Hughes MP, on a BBC TV Question Time Special.

All three candidates will have been buoyed-up by the spectacular Lib Dem win in the Dunfermline and West Fife Parliamentary By-election.

In a sensational result, Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie snatched the previously safe Labour seat which is also home to Chancellor Gordon Brown who now has a Lib Dem MP!

Both the Labour and Conservative share of the vote fell in comparison to last year's General Election while the Lib Dem almost doubled!

Former North Wilts Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate, Paul Fox was among the helpers working on the day to achieve the historic win.