Cheltenham Liberal Democrats have selected their new Parliamentary candidate. Max Wilkinson was chosen from a shortlist of five at a selection meeting last night.

@cheltlibdems new parliamentary candidate @mpmwilko #Cheltenham #Libdems pic.twitter.com/89xWtYmD1r

— Cheltenham Lib Dems (@cheltlibdems) November 25, 2017

Martin Horwood, who was Cheltenham’s Liberal Democrat MP until 2015 welcomed Max’s selection:

Delighted that @cheltlibdems new parliamentary candidate & #Cheltenham’s next MP is @mpmwilko. Max a great local campaigner & good friend. pic.twitter.com/27X2pplZGt

— Martin Horwood (@MartinChelt) November 26, 2017

Recently Gloucestershire Live got its hands on all the candidates’ selection leaflets. Max’s said:

• Former political reporter for the Gloucestershire Echo

• Is currently Cheltenham Borough Councillor for Park ward- was the first Lib Dem to win a seat there for nearly 25 years

• Stood at Liberal Democrat candidate for Stroud in the 2017 election.

• Organised and chaired the Your Liberal Britain event in Cheltenham; says it was “the best attended in the country”.

Says: “I am a councillor with a reputation for running strong local campaigns and getting things done. I started my career in the media and now work in communications and am a regular spokesperson for Cheltenham Liberal democrats in the press, radio and on television. I am passionate about solving the housing crisis, improving public health though walking and cycling and protecting the environment.”

Max wrote for Liberal Democrat Voice earlier this Summer, encouraging the pro EU Tory MP he stood against in the General Election to join us as he was so out of stop with his own party.

When I asked Neil after a hustings one evening about his enthusiasm for these issues, he described himself as a ‘Heathite Tory’. Sadly for Neil, he and others who believe in that brand of liberal conservatism are no longer represented by the Tory pitch to voters. They are likely to remain aliens in their party the foreseeable future as the Conservatives plunge into years of squabbling over the EU, rolling back climate legislation and failing to fund public services.

So this is my pitch to Neil and Tories who share his progressive world view: if you’re a liberal in the Conservative party, you are now politically homeless. Join us. You’ll like it.