SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: New LibDem candidate hopes “hard work and doing good things” will win Yeovil back

LIBERAL Democrats in the Yeovil Constituency have selected Mick Clark as the person they are pinning hopes on regaining the seat from the Conservatives at the next General Election.

It was announced at the weekend that Mr Clark had won the battle to be the next prospective parliamentary candidate in a head-to-head clash with Victoria Charleston.

Mr Clark missed out on winning the Coker division at last year’s Somerset County Council election when he lost by 439 votes to Conservative candidate Mark Keating, but has been chairman of his local Barwick and Stoford Parish Council.

He has enjoyed an exciting and well-travelled career – although all of that could be topped if beat sitting Yeovil MP, Marcus Fysh, at the next General Election.

Born and bred in Yeovil, Mr Clark served in the Royal Air Force and NHS before later working with a range of international missions and NGOs, in some of the world’s most challenging and hostile environments.

Mr Clark then returned to his roots where he dedicated his time to improving opportunities for disadvantaged adults throughout Somerset, helping those furthest from the job market including young offenders and the long-term unemployed.

Living in Stoford, Mr Clark is a local and well-known figure where he and his family are equally involved.

The family mantra is simple: ‘Work hard & do good things’ and Mr Clark plans to take this simple ethos into his future campaign to provide the Yeovil Constituency with the strong, vocal champion that is currently missing.

Mr Clark said: “I cannot wait to get started. I’m looking forward to meeting local residents across the Constituency in the coming weeks and months to hear the concerns and address the issues local people are facing.’’

Former MP for Yeovil from 1983 to 2001, Paddy Ashdown, added: “I am delighted that we have chosen such an excellent local champion.

“With Mick Clark as our Parliamentary Spokesperson the campaign now begins to provide the local service to local people and our area which we have been used to in the past and so badly need now, at Parliamentary level.”

The LibDems lost the Yeovil Constituency seat to the Conservatives in 2015 when David Laws was ousted as MP by Mr Fysh.

The LibDems then lost again in 2017 when candidate Jo Roundell Greene was soundly beaten by the MP.

Mrs Roundell Greene decided against standing again, while Amanda Broom, who had vied for the LibDem candidacy last year, also ruled herself out of wanting to stand.

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