Cambridgeshire must meet challenges of growth

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 1st Oct 1999

The Liberal Democrats' first Euro MP for Eastern England, Andrew Duff, today launched an autumn campaign with an official visit to Cambridgeshire County Council. Mr Duff will be briefed by the Chief Executive and senior Council officers, as well as meet with Cambridgeshire's many Lib Dem County and District Councillors.

Andrew Duff will make a presentation of his party's regional strategy and will explain how the new European Union dimension of politics affects Cambridgeshire. He will discuss in a series of meetings how he, as MEP, can deliver the best deal for Cambridgeshire from Europe, and how local government can play its part in representing the region in Europe.

Andrew Duff commented:

"Representing a diverse and dynamic region in European Union is an enormous challenge.

"Today is part of a regional programme of visits and will be the occasion of an important exchange of views about many current and future issues. Local government, led in many cases by Liberal Democrat councillors, can take the lead in modernising Britain and in helping Eastern England to become one of EuropeÕs top regions.

"Cambridgeshire, in particular, must play a key role in fostering science-based enterprise. Local government must get alongside the hi-tech community and the regional development agencies to foster sustainable development. This means creating the space for experimentation and rapid change.

"Together we must as a priority bring pressure to bear on central government to allow more to be spent on modernising and expanding the county's transport infrastructure. I will do my best to encourage new credit facilities from European sources. But I can only do that if local and regional government is credible.

"During this autumn's tour of the constituency, I look forward to meeting as many as possible of the 500 Lib Dem Councillors across the region."