Fresh from their amazing showing in the local and European elections, Burnley Lib Dems have urged local MP Kitty Ussher – who today quit the government over her expenses claims – to let voters have their say on who should now represent them. Here’s the press release issued this morning:

“Burnley Labour MP Kitty Ussher should stand down now and allow the people of Burnley to have their say on her replacement” says Burnley’s Liberal Democrat Council Leader and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Councillor Gordon Birtwistle following the further twist in the story of the MP’s expenses.

Gordon added “Kitty has now resigned from her position as a Junior Treasury Minister, after just over a week of being in the job, at a time when more questions have been raised about her expenses and tax position. These shenanigans are making a mockery of Burnley’s reputation in Parliament.

We need a By-Election immediately to clear the air and to allow Burnley to have a new MP who will stand up for the town in Parliament and be listened to on the issues that matter for Burnley.”

Recent Election results in Burnley show that, as Council Leader and the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Burnley, Councillor Birtwistle would have the credibility to win a By-Election and to give Burnley the effective representation it now desperately needs in Parliament.

Liberal Democrats in Burnley won five new Borough Council seats last year to take outright control of Burnley Council.

Two weeks ago in elections to Lancashire County Council the Liberal Democrats took five of the six previously Labour seats in Burnley.

The European Election results, which were announced on the weekend following the County results, showed that the Liberal Democrats had clearly topped the poll with the most votes across Burnley.

Councillor Birtwistle said “We need a Parliamentary By-Election now in Burnley so that key issues such as the loss of Burnley Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit can be taken to the top in Parliament. As a leader of the Hospital Campaign I would make sure that the Government got the message that we need our A and E Unit back.

Labour have nothing left to offer Burnley. They need to go back to the drawing board in our area. We need a By-Election to give Burnley an effective voice back in Parliament.”