• RICHARD Osley recently reported in his blog that the Conserva­tives have carried out an emergency reshuffle of their council election candidates in Belsize and Hampstead Town.

This followed the announcement that their leader on Camden Council, Claire-Louise Leyland, will not stand again. It makes the Conservatives look almost as disorganised locally as they are nationally.

In the same blog, Mr. Osley draws attention to the Labour Party’s hopes for the two wards. We would like to draw your readers’ attention to the fact that such hopes are misguided.

At the last council elections in 2014 Lib Dem candidate and former councillor Tom Simon narrowly missed out on regaining his seat in Belsize by 25 votes, while another previous Lib Dem councillor, Linda Chung, lost out in Hampstead by only 124 votes.

Both are standing again alongside newer party members who have felt energised by our strong national message against Brexit.

Former Labour and Conservative voters have been switching to us, disillusioned by the national leadership of both parties and the fact that in Camden they are standing some pro-Brexit candidates, despite this being entirely out of keeping with the borough’s strong Remain vote.

With the Lib Dems in second place in both Belsize and Hampstead Town, voters have a great opportunity to send a strong message to both Labour and the Tories on May 3 by voting Liberal Democrat.

TOM SIMON
LUISA PORRITT
BEN NEWMAN
Liberal Democrat candidates for Belsize ward

LINDA CHUNG
WILL COLES
ANDREW HASLAM-JONES
Liberal Democrat candidates for Hampstead Town ward