Delivered at no cost to local residents. FREE South Leicester South turns to gold: EWS Page 4 NKennedy tackles Save our Blair on Iraq post offices News in Brief Kennedy pays tribute to Page 2 Page 3 Jim Marshall Lib Dem Leader Charles Kennedy has paid tribute to former Leicester South MP Jim Marshall. Mr Kennedy said: “I knew and respected Jim Marshall LOCAL LIB DEM as a hard working MP who campaigned hard for the people of Leicester South and wasn’t afraid of speaking out against the party whips on matters of personal principle. I extend my deepest CHALLENGES condolences to his family.” Massive response to survey LABOUR IN Leicester Liberal Democrats have reported a massive to their recent residents survey across the area. The survey questioned people on crime & policing, trafÞ c & LEICESTER parking, rubbish & recycling, public transport, post ofÞ ce closures and the Iraq war. Residents who have not received a copy can ● Local Lib Dem campaigner Parmjit Singh Gill will be in a close download one from the local fight with Labour to win in the Leicester South byelection. Lib Dem website: SOUTH www.leicester-libdems.org.uk The Lib Dems and Labour are set for September at Brent East. Analysis by PA News shows they a close run fi ght in the Leicester South would have comfortably taken the seat on the basis of votes cast in the byelection, caused by the death of pop- constituencyWWhat ha[lastt TTheyear]..h eLiberal PPapers aDemocratspe raverageds SSay… a10,838y …(42.2%), ular local MP Jim Marshall. The Lib Dems have selected well Labour 6,997 (27.2%), Tories 5,203 (20.3%)..Labour strategistsLiberal admit Democrats that.. they havewon a tough 14 job of ... the Lib Dems have won key council seats known local councillor Parmjit Singh to hold Charles Kennedy’s party at bay.. the Liberal like Spinney Hill and Stoneygate, and war in Gill to fi ght the seat and political com- theDemocrats city havecouncil a strong seats local base..in in thethe Leicester constitu- Iraq has fuelled anti-Government feeling. Lib mentators are saying that the Liberal ency,South areacompared they have donewith particularly two well,each scoring for Dem strategists believe they are favourites to Democrats can match their recent win Labour42% ofand the vote..Tory. The ConservativesLeicester South will face could a fi ght give win this time. Leicester Mercury in Brent East — when they came from Liberalto avoid Democrats falling into thirdthe place. chance to Thefollow Times up third to win against Labour. their triumph last September at Brent Similar issues are expected to help East.Lib DemsAnalysis are the largestby PAgroup Newson Leicester shows city they LABOUR is in serious danger of losing one the Lib Dems in their Leicester South wouldcouncil.. havethe party wouldcomfortably comfortably taketaken the seat the of its safe seats in a by-election.. in Leicester BAD NEWS for challenge: Tony Blair’s war in Iraq, on the basis of votes in last May’s city council South.. with the Liberal Democrats best placed seat on the basis of votes cast in the to pull off a rout.. The last by-election in Brent MICHAEL post offi ce closures and student tuition constituencyelections. [last year].. TheLiberal Guardian Dem- fees. East last September saw the Lib-Dems overturn ocrats averaged 10,838 (42.2%), a similar majority The press have already written off HOWARD: LabourLeicester 6,997South.. could(27.2%), give Liberal Tories Democrats 5,203the London Evening Standard the Tory’s chances in the byelection (20.3%)..chance to followLiberal up theirDemocrats triumph lastwon September 14 of EVERYBODY — all of the press are expecting the at Brent East. Analysis by PA News shows they Conservatives to fall to third place in an the city council seats in the constituency, compared KNOWS YOU would have comfortably taken the seat on the basis anti-war sentiment will help [the Lib Dems] area that has turned gold recently. The withof twovotes eaLiberal cast in the Democrats constituency the [last chance year].. toLiberal follow up their triumph last September at Brent East. Analysis by grab the [Leicester South] seat in a by-election CAN’T WIN Lib Dems have gained seat after seat on Democrats averaged 10,838 (42.2%), Labour 6,997 Daily Express , with the Con- (27.2%), Tories 5,203 (20.3%). Press Association HERE! servatives all but wiped out locally. Page 2 www.leicester-libdems.org.uk KKENNEDY:ENNEDY: ““WEWE MMUSTUST AXXEE NNOTOT RELYRELY OONN OOVERWHELMINGVERWHELMING UUSESE OOFF MILITARYMILITARY TTHEH E FFORCEORCE IINN IIRAQ”RAQ” by Sarah Morris in Westminster

harles Kennedy MP, Leader of the Liberal Demo- crats, has questioned Tony Blair at Prime Minis- Cter’s Questions over future deployments of British troops in Iraq. Mr Kennedy asked the Prime Minister whether he had received a ‘speciÞ c request’ for more British troops from TampaigningA Liberal Liberal DemocratsX understand President Bush. The Prime Minister said that no speciÞ c requests had been made. Democrats have the popular revolt against Council Mr Kennedy pointed out that in the context of the con- launched a petition Tax. tinuing violence in Iraq, that were more troops deployed C calling on the “The Liberal Democrats want Mr Blair would have to ‘demonstrate his inß uence in government to scrap Council Council Tax abolished and replaced Washington’. This would involve a ‘clear military and polit- Tax. with a system based on people’s ical strategy to deal with the violence in Iraq and not just The move follows news that ability to pay. If enough people one that relies on the overwhelming use of United States ministers have set up a “review” back the campaign, ministers will military force.’ of how councils are paid for. There have to listen. has been massive protest because “Pensions increased last year the government has not been giv- by just 2.6%, but average Council ing councils the money they need, Tax rose by 13%.” forcing Council Tax to rocket. The Liberal Democrats plans UNFAIR would also save money, as it would Lib Dem Shadow Deputy Prime be cheaper to collect – meaning Minister Ed Davey MP said: more money being spent on local “Council Tax is grossly unfair. services rather than red tape. Sign the Axe the Tax petition today ● Liberal Democrats marching against the war in Iraq I/We the undersigned call upon the Battle to save government to axe Council Tax and replace it with a system of paying for local Pension Book services based on people’s ability to pay. Labour’s plans to stop pensioners receiving Name...... their pension using the Pension Book have Address...... been condemned by the Liberal Democrats...... The Government wants to force elderly Telephone...... people to receive their pension direct into a Email...... bank account or using the new Post OfÞ ce Account Card. Please return today to: Leicester Liberal Democrats, Lib Dem Steve Webb MP said, “This plan FREEPOST NAT4561, Leicester, LE2 7ZD is proving massively unpopular with local

The Lib Dems may contact you from time to time to keep you informed on issues we think you may find of interest. pensioners. This is a needless change and I Please let us know if you do not wish the information above to be used for this purpose. support pensioners in their campaign to keep using their pension books.” Sign on line: Hundreds of pensioners have already signed a Lib Dem petition opposing the www.axethetax.org.uk changes. Page 3 www.leicester-libdems.org.uk Blair Swamped by Letters of Public Outrage SLAMMED: he number of letters in the 2002-2003 Þ nancial Twritten to the Prime year. Minister has more than tri- Bill Newton Dunn said: pled since 1998 to over a “It is not surprising that so million a year, Leicester’s many people are writing to Lib Dem Euro-MP, Bill New- the Prime Minister given ton Dunn has revealed. the strength of public an- LABOUR’S As Tony Blair’s popu- ger at his policy on in Iraq. larity continues to sink to “Instead of employing new depths, the number staff to write his excuses of letters sent to the Prime he should match his prom- Minister has shot through ises with action. the roof - from 300,000 in “Letter writers should 1998 to over one million in save the money they would 2003. be spending on paper, POLL The Þ gures were re- stamps and envelopes. vealed in a Parliamentary Blair does not read these answer to Liberal Demo- letters personally. Instead crat Party Chairman, Mat- people should send him thew Taylor MP. It was also a different kind of letter revealed that that Tony - by using their vote to say Blair has had to hire extra enough is enough. Actions staff to reply to the letters, will speak louder than TAX ON costing taxpayer £165,000 words.” Save Our

LEARNINGeicester Liberal Democrats credit cards and commercial loans Two things you can do to help Post Offices! Lhave attacked Labour’s tui- have also dramatically increased. tion fees and top up fees, bran- The Lib Dem Shadow Education stop Tony Blair’s plans for a Poll esidents are outraged at the news Tax on learning that yet more Post OfÞ ces are set dishing them a ‘poll tax on learn- Secretary, Phil Willis MP, said: “The Rto close under Labour’s closure ing’. Government’s own evidence shows 1. Sign the petition below and programme. A recent survey shows that the that fear of debt is preventing return it to Lib Dem MP Lib Dem campaigners have launched amount owed has risen by 74 per many young people from going to David Rendel today a massive campaign to save local Post cent in four years, as students university, while genuine debt is OfÞ ces. graduate with average debts of causing many students to drop out 2. Get your friends to sign the Leicester’s Lib Dem Euro-MP Bill Newton Dunn said, £8,031. of their studies. Yet this Labour petition on line at “The closures have gone too far and must be stopped.” Record numbers of students are Government is persisting with a www.scraptuitionfees.com - Local Liberal Democrats have pledged to work with now working during term to make policy that will increase student where they can learn more about residents to Þ ght the closure and have launched a petition ends meet, and borrowing on debt to mortgage levels.” the campaign. to stop the cuts. Bill said, “With local support, we believe that the Post OfÞ ce can be saved.” No tuition fees! No top up fees! To the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP We, the undersigned, call on the SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST Government to scrap tuition fees and abandon their plans for top-up fees. Students should PO CLOSURES TODAY not be burdened with huge student debts. DON’T K.O. THE P.O. Name(s) Address We, the undersigned, call upon Royal Mail and the Government to stop the wave of closures of post offices. Post offices provide an essential service to our Postcode Tel community. Email

Name/s ...... Please return completed petition forms to: Liberal Democrat Campaign Against Tuition Fees, Email ...... ! Liberal Democrats FREEPOST NAT4561, Leicester, LE2 7ZD

campaigning against David Rendel MP and the Liberal Democrats may contact you from time to time to keep you informed about our campaigns and Address ...... Labour’s “poll tax on other issues that we think you will fi nd of interest. If you do not wish to be contacted for this purpose please write to us. learning” www.scraptuitionfees.com Phone ...... Return to: Liberal Democrats, FREEPOST NAT4561, TXT UR VIEWZ: Are you MORE or LESS likely to vote Liberal Democrat as a result of their opposition to tuition Leicester, LE2 7ZD fees and top up fees? TXT LD MORE or LD LESS to 07795 328405 Page 4 www.leicester-libdems.org.uk

Spinney Hills Ward Councillor Mustafa Karim KEEP THE (Liberal Democrat) Tel: 0116 210 2515 THE TEAM FOR NHS LOCAL ocal Liberal Democrat campaigner Parmjit Singh Gill has called on the Councillor Hashim Panchbhaya L (Liberal Democrat) Government to tackle the crisis Tel: 0116 210 9520 SOUTH LEICESTER in GP recruitment. GP vacancies rocketed to over 3000 last year, South Leicester has turned gold: Stoneygate Ward but the Government are not 14 out of the 18 councillors in our Councillor Parmjit Singh Gill taking the problem seriously. (Liberal Democrat) He is calling for: Councillor Mussa Saleh area are Tel: 0116 255 0509 (Liberal Democrat) Lib Dems. • An end to the political targets Tel: 0116 252 6045 which cripple GP morale and damage patient care. Spinney Hills Councillor Rob Renold • The Government to urgently (Liberal Democrat) address the crisis in GP and Castle Tel: 0116 273 8033 district nurse recruitment. Castle Ward Stoneygate • The Government to channel Councillor Deborah Almey more of the extra investment into (Liberal Democrat) family health services. Tel: 0116 254 5317 Freemen Councillor Hussein Suleman • The Government to look at ways (Liberal Democrat) of letting nurses, pharmacists and Tel: 0116 212 0648 Knighton therapists to use their skills so that patients get speedier access Aylestone to good quality healthcare. Freemen Ward Local Lib Dem campaigner, Councillor Dale Keeling Parmjit Singh Gill said: “In (Liberal Democrat) Knighton Ward Leicestershire, Northamptonshire Tel: 0116 254 5317 Eyres Monsell Councillor Barry Coles and Rutland Strategic Health (Liberal Democrat) Authority there are 133 GP Tel: 0116 252 6045 vacancies — up from 44 in 2000. Councillor Carlym Sandringham “The time-bomb of GP vacancies (Liberal Democrat) Eyres Monsell Ward was set by the Conservatives’ Tel: 0116 252 6045 under-funding of the NHS but Councillor Mark Farmer Councillor Joan Garrity (Liberal Democrat) (Liberal Democrat) the bomb has kept ticking under Tel: 0116 222 3295 Tel: 0116 224 3915 Labour.”

Aylestone Ward Contact: Councillor Dean Ramsdale Councillor Gary Hunt Councillor Parmjit Singh Gill (Liberal Democrat) (Liberal Democrat) (Liberal Democrat) Tel: 0116 283 4329 Tel: 07976 397 322 Tel: 0116 255 0509 CCANAN YOUYOU HELPHELP OOURUR CCAMPAIGN?AMPAIGN? The Lib Dems are on I can display a poster I can help deliver leaflets the up, as support for I enclose a donation to the “Liberal Democrats” for: the other parties is £100 £50 £20 £10 Other: £ falling. A donation of £5 or more entitles you to membership of the Lib Dems. Please tick here if you are already a member or do not wish to join ❑

We receive no large Name

payments from big Address business or the Trade We always give more than we take! Postcode Unions. Please be as Not only is every tree used in the Telephone manufacture of UK newspapers generous as you can. replaced by 2-3 more, the life of Email the fibres is extended by increasing recycling rates. Please return to: Charles Kennedy MP, Liberal Democrats, FREEPOST NAT4561, Leicester, LE2 7ZD Published and promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 92 London Road, Leicester. Printed by The Northcliffe Press, Sales and Administration Office, East Point, Cardinal Square, 10 Nottingham Road, Derby DE1 3QT. 0116 227 3181.