LIB DEMS SELECT EILEEN BAXENDALE TO FIGHT GLASGOW NORTH EAST BY-ELECTION

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 6th Aug 2009

Councillor Eileen Baxendale has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the forthcoming Glasgow North East by-election.

Councillor Baxendale was elected in 2007 as Liberal Democrat Councillor for Rutherglen South. A former Social Worker for 28 years, she is currently Depute Chair of South Lanarkshire Social Work committee, and Chair of the Local Integrated Children's Services committee.

Eileen has also been the co-ordinator of the Castlemilk Churches Together Refugee Centre, and secretary of the Scottish Churches Racial Justice Group. She is also a member of the Council of the Baptist Union of Scotland and Convener of their Public Issues Advisory Group.

The by-election has been called because the former Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, resigned his seat in Parliament amid controversy over MP expenses in June.

Eileen lives with her husband in Burnside and has several grown up children.

Eileen said:

"I'm delighted to be chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate in this election. It will be a very interesting challenge to fight a Parliamentary by election at this time and I am looking forward immensely to the experience.

The Liberal Democrats have been right on the biggest issues in recent years. Charles Kennedy and Ming Campbell were right to oppose the disastrous Iraq war. More recently, Vince Cable and Nick Clegg have been right on the failures waiting for us on the financial and economic front - and have pointed the ay forward to recovery too.

"Gordon Brown's Labour Government is clearly on the way out, and Labour have lost touch with what people want. However, the SNP is no alternative - their record at Holyrood is littered with broken promises and extravagant and now disregarded election commitments.

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown added:

"Eileen Baxendale will be an ideal choice in the by election. Liberal Democrats provide the ideas for the future, and the alternative to the failed Labour Government at this difficult time."

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Keep up to date with news from the Liberal Democrat campaign on our website: www.scotlibdems.org.uk

EILEEN BAXENDALE BIOGRAPHY

Occupation: Councillor, South Lanarkshire Council

Age: 64

Family: Married, with several grown up children

Council experience: Depute Chair - Social Work Committee, Chair - Integrated Children's Services Committee

Other experience: Career in social work in Glasgow for over 28 years. Director - Fare Shares Trust, Director - Ethnic Minorities Law Centre, Director - Minority Ethnic Christians Together in Scotland