SOMERSET WELCOME SHADOW CABINET

Conservatives in Somerset this week welcomed two high-profile politicians from Westminster.

On Tuesday, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, came to Somerset to launch the Somerset Conservatives Manifesto ahead of the County Council elections on June 4^th. The next day, Eric Pickles, Chairman of the Conservative Party, visited to offer his support to local candidates.

George Osborne's visit began with a tour of Somerset College, where he and Taunton Conservative PPC Mark Formosa met with the principal and staff and were shown around the Construction and Health & Beauty Centres. Next stop was the Castle Hotel, Taunton, where he spoke with local councillors and candidates, before heading to Somerton for a lunchtime meeting with local businesspeople and Conservative PPC for Somerton & Frome, Annunziata Rees-Mogg. The last destination of the day was Hinkley Point, where George Osborne was met by representatives of EDF and local Conservative MP, Ian Liddell-Grainger, and was shown the site of the prospective new power station.

The following day, Eric Pickles started his trip to Somerset with a visit to Numatic International in Chard, home of 'Henry', where he was joined by Conservative PPC for Yeovil, Kevin Davis. He was shown around the 25-acre site, which employs over 700 people and produces 4,000 products a day. Next stop was Yeovil, where Eric Pickles was interviewed for local radio station Midwest Radio, and the final part of his day was spent in Castle Cary, meeting local candidates, councillors and activists, as well as Annunziata Rees-Mogg, the Conservative PPC for Somerton & Frome.

Speaking after the two visits, Ken Maddock, Leader of the Conservative Group at Somerset County Council, said, "I am pleased to have welcomed politicians of the calibre of George Osborne and Eric Pickles to Somerset to launch our manifesto and support our candidates and campaign with less than a month to go until election day. Even as far away as Westminster, they know that 16 years of Lib Dems is too much for Somerset, and they know that it's Time For A Change."

He concluded, "In both Westminster and Somerset, we are faced with an administration that has been in power too long, that has lost direction and that has massively increased the level of debt. Both Labour nationally and Lib Dems in Somerset are out of touch and out of money, and it is time to kick them out of office. Conservatives are the change that Somerset needs, and the change that Britain needs."