Shirley Williams may be approaching her 85th birthday, but she is putting a massive effort into campaigning around the country and her energy puts most of us to shame. This is a very good thing as she’s still one of the country’s most popular political figures. Last September, she wowed Dunfermline and, for me, one of the most poignant moments of the referendum campaign was when she took the hand of a Yes campaigner in the street. She spoke at Tim Farron’s adoption meeting recently and last week was at the other end of England, endorsing Vikki Slade’s Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency.

From the Bournemouth Echo:

Baroness Williams spoke to an audience of Corfe Hills and Parkstone Grammarpupils about the Lib Dem record in government. She praised Mrs Brooke’s 14 years in the House of Commons and discussed the issue of women in parliament.

Students asked Mrs Slade about her priorities, which included raising the number of apprenticeships, providing homes for local families, protecting the local environment and enhancing the local economy to restore the fortunes of high streets.

Baroness Williams said “Mid-Dorset and Poole is one constituency that has proved its independence by voting for an MP that is outside the conservative regime in the county – one of the finest constituency members in the House of Commons, a person of conscience and reform.

“Annette Brooke will be seriously missed but in Vikki Slade she has a worthy successor, a local woman who understands both politics and business.”

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social