National Party hails Ashford Conference "An Overwhelming Success"

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Apr 2008

Mayor Rita Hawes opens the Ashford Lib Dem Conference

Ashford Liberal Democrats left their regional conference this week, this year held at the Towers School, Ashford, with both regional and national endorsements ringing in their ears.

The Conference, along with a locally sourced dinner prepared by Towers School students the night before, raised more than £1000, after deductions, for the local party.

The staff and students involved in the regional conference dinner

Former Lib Dem Regional Chair Mike Simpson described the event as "one of the best I've attended - an overwhelming success" whilst visiting MP David Heath described his visit to the town as "warm and welcoming."

Ashford's Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Chris Took explained "we wanted to show the regional party just how much we've improved both in terms of organisation and focus."

Norman Baker MP addresses the conference

"Increasing our vote by 1500 at the last General Election was an important step, winning enough seats to become the official opposition locally was an important second step. This successful conference reaffirms the inroads that we are trying to make - the next County and General Election cannot come soon enough."

As well as David Heath MP the conference was also attended by Susan Kramer MP, Baroness Scott and Lord Rennard, the Liberal Democrats Chief Executive and by-election guru.

The conference was also attended by more than 200 Liberal Democrat councillors, treasurers, agents and ordinary members.