Former Chester City Council leader standing for Lib Dems in Weaver Vale

A former Chester City Council leader will stand for the Liberal Democrats in Weaver Vale in the upcoming General Election.

Paul Roberts, 69, accused the Government of failing to deliver on its promises over Brexit and social issues.

Prime Minister Theresa May has called a snap election for June 8.

All the current Cheshire West MPs are campaigning for re-election, including Conservative Graham Evans in Weaver Vale.

Mr Roberts said: “Clearly the reason this election has been called is because Theresa May wants a sure hand over Brexit.

“We have seen with so many of the promises people were made during the referendum campaign that she is now saying she can’t deliver them.

“She can’t deliver staying in the single market or the £350m which was promised to the NHS by the Leave campaign.”

Mr Roberts, from Farndon, said it was both his and his party’s view the electorate must be given the chance to vote on any final deal at the end of the Brexit negotiations.

The rest of the candidates who will be on the Weaver Vale ballot are yet to be announced.

But the Lib Dems have already revealed who will be campaigning in Chester and Eddisbury constituencies too.

Mr Roberts, a qualified accountant, stood in the latter in 1999 and 2001 as well as Crewe and Nantwich in 2005.

He was a former leader of the now-defunct Chester city council and long-term leader of its Lib Dem group.

The Weaver Vale candidate said: “Since the Conservatives got overall control (in 2015) they have gone back on the promises they made to the people among the more disadvantage in society.

“The Labour Party have failed to hold them to account. The Tories attacks are causing the less well off so many problems.

“That is something which must be reversed.”

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