Lib Dem Councillor Rachel Bentley has been named as the party’s MP candidate for Bermondsey and Old Southwark.
Bentley will battle incumbent MP Neil Coyle for the seat at the next general election – scheduled for January 2025 at the latest.
The North Bermondsey councillor, whose supporters describe her as a “fierce and determined campaigner”, said she was “delighted”.
She told the News the constituency needs “an MP who is responsive, visible and focussed on the constituency.”
Asked about her priorities for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, she said: “Housing goes to the heart of all our problems here” and that a lack of affordable homes “inhibits our economy and our social outcomes”.
Supporters say she has garnered a reputation for her campaigning on issues like keeping parks for community use, period poverty, tree planting and fly-tipping.
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She has also been a key voice for local residents opposing plans to dock a luxury ‘party yacht’ at Butler’s Wharf.
Prior to entering politics, Bentley had a long career in financial services before moving into policy.
She compared her style to Sir Simon Hughes, the local Lib Dem MP from 1983 to 2010, describing him as “a mentor”.
Hughes was deposed by then-Labour MP Neil Coyle in 2015, whose vote share has increased in each election since.
Coyle has been an independent MP since his suspension from the Labour Party in February last year over racist comments he made to a journalist.
Following Bentley’s selection Richard Wingfield, Chair of the Southwark Liberal Democrats, gave a scathing assessment of Coyle’s premiership.
“The people of Bermondsey and Old Southwark have been let down for the last eight years by an MP whose atrocious behaviour saw him suspended from Parliament and the Labour party,” he said.
He added: “At the next general election, people will have the chance to vote for Rachel and to get a hard-working MP whose work ethic and dedication to the community are beyond reproach.”
They are all as bad as each other. who can we really trust ????????
I don’t see why an election in our ward wasn’t triggered when he was ousted from Labour Party! He was elected AS a Labour candidate. So why should he remain? I think it’s an outrage and he does say FA for his constituents!