Mum of Hollywood actor to stand against Shailesh Vara at general election
The mum of a Hollywood actor will stand against Shailesh Vara at the general election.
Bridget Smith, whose son is War Horse star Jeremy Irvine, will represent the Liberal Democrats in the North West Cambridgeshire constituency.
Mrs Smith, a South Cambridgeshire district councillor, replaces Nick Sandford who was chosen last year as the prospective parliamentary candidate.
She said: “I’m hoping to achieve a massive increase in the Liberal Democrat support in North West Cambridgeshire. I’m going to be campaigning strongly on trust and honesty in politics. We’ve had spin and lies.
“I want a Brexit deal with truth and facts, where we know who the winners and losers will be. I want to inform people and I will be working extremely hard.
“I will be in North West Cambridgeshire all the time and will talk to people about anything.
“This is the beginning of a big resurgence of the Liberal Democrats in the constituency.”
The party had a terrible election in North West Cambridgeshire in 2015, coming fourth with 5.7 per cent of the vote, 16.2 per cent down from 2010.
Gamlingay resident Mrs Smith was born in Durham and earned a degree in psychology from Durham University.
She became a hearing therapist at the City Literary Institute and Manchester Royal Infirmary before taking a research post at the School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge.
Her research was on improving communications for adults who have completely lost their hearing.
The mother-of-three then became a teacher and later a carer, before setting up a charity called Forward Gamlingay - which looks to coordinate community facilities for young people - and the Gamlingay Eco Hub.
She is currently a consultant in community development and a fundraiser.
The other confirmed candidates for the election on June 8 are incumbent Mr Vara (Conservative) and John Whitby (UKIP).
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