PAUL BOATENG'S DECISION TO STAND DOWN OPEN'S UP THE RACE IN BRENT SOUTH - ALLIE

1.18.20pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 14th Mar 2005

Commenting on Paul Boateng MPs decision to stand down at the next General Election and take up post of the UK's High Commissioner to South Africa, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Brent South, James Allie said:

"Paul has served the people of Brent South for seventeen years and his work will be remembered by all. I offer my congratulations to Paul in his new post and I am sure he will put as much energy and passion into South Africa as he did in his work as an MP. He was a pioneer for the black community, and made us all believe that we too could become MP's and for that the entire black community is grateful.

"His decision to stand down however opens up the General Election in Brent South. We have seen here in Brent with Sarah Teather's by-election victory that it is the Liberal Democrats who are providing the real opposition to Labour. The Conservatives are irrelevant in urban areas such as Brent, they have no councillors in cities such as Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester. In our inner cities it is the Liberal Democrats who are the real alternative to Labour."

1) Number of Councillors in Brent South.

Labour -15

Liberal Democrats - 9

Conservatives- 3