THE Liberal Democrats have selected their candidate to stand in the newly formed constituency of Chester South and Eddisbury.

Local teacher and parish councillor Rob Herd, who stood in the 2022 City of Chester parliamentary by-election, will take up the mantle for the Liberal Democrats.

During the 2023 local elections to Cheshire West and Chester council, the Liberal Democrats secured second place in more wards in the newly created constituency than any other party.

Rob, the chair of the Liberal Democrat Education Association, also sits as a charity trustee on the board of Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race and Equality Centre and as a governor at Boughton Heath Academy in Chester.

Commenting, the newly selected Rob Herd said: “I am honoured to be chosen to stand in Chester South and Eddisbury. It is an absolute privilege to be trusted in my local area as the Liberal Democrat candidate.

Rob Herd. Picture: Lib Dems.

Rob Herd. Picture: Lib Dems.

“I recognise that I am fortunate to live in Cheshire and I have been working hard for the past 10 years to repay the opportunities I have had here.

“I have been out knocking on doors here in Chester South and Eddisbury nearly every weekend for two years. The messages I hear are loud, clear and consistent.

“The Conservatives are in freefall. They have presided over the lowest living standards since 1950, the highest taxes, and have trampled all over standards. Locally and nationally, Labour do not recognise the issues facing the village and rural communities in Chester South and Eddisbury.

“When our neighbours in next-door North Shropshire elected Liberal Democrat Helen Morgan, they saw the difference a hard-working Lib Dem MP brings to a community like Chester South and Eddisbury.

“I look forward to showing the voters of Chester South and Eddisbury that we can have a hard-working alternative with integrity here too.”

The news follows the Conservatives selecting the daughter of former Chester MP Gyles Brandreth, Aphra Brandreth, as their candidate for the new seat.

The current Eddisbury MP, Conservative Edward Timpson, is standing down at the next election to focus on legal work supporting vulnerable children.

Redrawing of the constituency boundaries means the area now includes parts of Chester, largely south of the River Dee such as Handbridge, Lache, Saltney, Curzon Park and Westminster Park, but also Huntington, Christleton, Littleton, Rowton, Waverton and Brown Heath.

The City of Chester constituency is being reshaped into Chester North and Neston, with the Ellesmere Port constituency losing Neston but gaining Bromborough, Eastham Village and Port Sunlight.