THE Liberal Party has announced its candidate to contest the Skipton and Ripon seat in the general election as former consultant surgeon Andrew Murday.

Mr Murday has had a lifelong commitment to politics. He says he believes passionately that the role of government is to ensure a peaceful and prosperous nation, in every region and for people in all walks of life. He believes in the Liberal values of tolerance and freedom within the rule of law. He has previously lived and worked in Glasgow, London, Leeds and Paris.

Mr Murday has been a doctor all his professional life and defends public ownership and management of the NHS.

He has many years of experience as a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon in the NHS and then as a hospice palliative care doctor. Andrew has experience of negotiating, taking decisions and managing budgets of national importance. He believes that healthcare should be free at the point of delivery.

Mr Murday has lived in the Skipton and Ripon constituency for the past ten years and runs a smallholding with sheep, chickens and bees. He left the Labour party in 2017 having become disillusioned by their shift to the left but continues to oppose the Conservatives and to promote the centrist and Europhile ideals of the Liberal Democrats.

He is a firm believer in EU membership which helps to ensure economic, social and environmental stability and wellbeing. He is well aware that the EU, with the UK government, defends the standards Britain expects in terms of environmental protection, food quality and security.

On a local level, Andrew is active in local politics and in his community. His activities have included exploring issues of climate change and farming, raising issues of PRU closures, traffic issues in Ripon and parish communications. He is concerned that local democracy is preserved and that all voices in the community are given a voice.

Outside politics, Andrew is a keen singer and trombonist in a variety of musical genres.