Charity Worker selected to contest seat in Tooting for the Liberal Democrats

6.13.27pm GMT Sun 21st Nov 2004

Stephanie Dearden will fight Tooting for the Lib Dems at the General Election

Tooting resident Stephanie Dearden has been selected by the Lib Dems to be the next Parliamentary Candidate in Tooting at the next General Election.

Stephanie said, "I count it a great privilege to be selected by my colleagues to fight the contest that has been a safe Labour seat for over thirty years."

Stephanie gained the support after fighting off three other hopefuls who wanted to have a chance at creating another Brent East or Leicester South victory for Lib Dems LibDems. These past two by-elections overthrew Labour strongholds and returned Liberal Democrat MPs. Both these areas of the country have very similar cultural and ethnic mix as Tooting.

Stephanie has lived in SW17 for over 23 years. She is the mother of two disabled teenage boys both born in St Georges Hospital and understands the challenges of raising children in the inner city.

Stephanie works part time for two charities, one caring for the elderly who are terminally ill, and the other is for a trust that cares for homeless people.