Liberal Democrats name candidate for General Election

The Weston-super-Mare Liberal Democrats are delighted to announce the selection of Patrick Keating as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Weston-super-Mare constituency in this year’s anticipated General Election.

The local Liberal Democrats will make the formal announcement at an event in Weston on 25 January. 

Patrick Keating brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to serving the local community. As a North Somerset councillor, school governor and charity trustee, he has demonstrated a deep understanding of the issues facing Weston, Worle and the villages and a dedication to creating positive change for residents. Patrick’s long professional career in both large and small businesses shows he knows how the real world works – something that is lacking with the current out of touch Conservative government. 

Patrick said: “People in Weston, Worle and the villages are fed up with waiting for this Conservative government to fix our NHS, stop sewage being dumped on our coastline and to take real action on the cost of living. 

“As our next MP, I will stand up for what local people really care about: fighting to ensure we have enough doctors and dentists, protecting our waters and green spaces and making sure the town gets the investment, jobs and infrastructure it needs to reach its full potential.” 

Chair of the Weston-super-Mare Liberal Democrats, Jemma Coles, said: “2024 will be an historic election. The changes to the constituency boundary mean that there is a real chance to remove the Conservatives and get the change our town needs. Only the Liberal Democrats or the Conservatives have ever won the Weston-super-Mare Parliamentary seat. We are pleased to be the first party to confirm our candidate to take on the Conservatives and demonstrate our commitment to bring change.” 

Mike Bell, Liberal Democrat Leader of North Somerset Council added: “Through our leading role on the council, Liberal Democrats have shown we can deliver real positive change at local level. With a Liberal Democrat MP like Patrick fighting for our community in Westminster, we’ll be able to make a real difference for Weston, Worle and the villages.”

Patrick lives locally in Blagdon, where he has been the district councillor since 2019. He is co-chair of the Blagdon primary school governors and has previously served as a Trustee for the Community Council for Somerset. Patrick stood in the 2019 General Election in Weston-super-Mare constituency, polling 6,935 votes and increasing the Liberal Democrat vote share by 3.3%.

Patrick works for Honda Motor Europe, with a focus on clean cars and motorcycles. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys spending time in our hills and waters mountain biking, climbing, running and paddle boarding.