Lichfield & Tamworth Liberal Democrats

Local farmer Phil Bennion will become the regions new MEP when Liz Lynne steps down at the end of January.  He was second on the regional list in 2009 and will serve until the end of the five year term in 2014.  Phil has a PhD in agriculture and has been active within the National Farmers Union for many years.  He was Staffordshire County NFU chair in 1996.

Phil lives locally in Haunton - within Lichfield District and Tamworth parliamentary constituency - and has served as a District and County councillor and also stood as a parliamentary candidate.

Liz Lynne announced that she would be standing down at the recent regional conference. "Although I still find the work stimulating and worthwhile, the relentless travelling, particularly to and from Strasbourg is onerous to say the least.  Stepping down now will also give Phil Bennion enough time to bed down and make an effective contribution in the remaining two and a half years of this parliament."

Liz Lynne has been a good campaigning MEP fighting for the West Midlands. She has supported sensible regulation to protect a level playing field amd basic rights where European rules are appropriate but always fought to stop meddling bureaucracy and red tape where it is harmful.  She has also made an immense contribution to changing the law at national and European level to help disabled people take a full and active role in society and more recently to give old people and cancer patients the same rights against discrimination.