Davies selected to lead fight

LIBERAL Democrats have picked Oldham’s Euro-MP Chris Davies to lead the campaign to retain their European parliament seat.

Mr Davies gained 72 per cent of votes from party members in a postal ballot.

Mr Davies has represented Oldham in Brussels since 1999, and is the environment spokesman for the 85 Liberal-Democrat MEPs across the EU.

He claims credit for introducing a billion-euro funding mechanism supporting research into renewable energy technologies.

Mr Davies said: “I’ve been proud to have represented the people of the North-West in the EU for 13 years and I want to use this experience to drive forward environmental improvements and promote EU reform.”

Often outspoken, the MEP has campaigned for a change in the law to allow patients suffering intolerably to seek medical help to die and has called for drugs to be decriminalised.