Lynne Featherstone

My Liberal Democrat colleague David Schmitz has been selected to fight the Seven Sisters ward by-election, caused by the sad death of long-serving councillor Fred Knight.

David is also the Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Tottenham and a seasoned campaigner. He’s a barrister – which can come in handy – like in the case of the Wards Corner development where he has been giving free legal advice to members of the Wards Corner Community Coalition who are fighting to save the Latin American Market and building.

David is also campaigning on holding Labour-run Haringey Council to account over the hideous mismanagement and dreadful behaviour over the tragic death of Baby P – in which I too have been holding Haringey Labour’s feet to the fire. And he has been vocal and effective in ensuring that not a single penny in pay off is made to anyone found to have been guilty of gross misconduct.

David’s story of how he became involved in local campaigning is one to warm my heart – seeing a problem, doing something about it. As he recounts:

A few years ago, the house next door to us became a drugs den. Haringey Council’s inability to deal with the problem turned me into a local campaigner.

When the drug den was destroyed by fire, my partner and I bought the wreck and spent a year doing it up as our home. I was so impressed by what Lynne and the Liberal Democrats were achieving in Haringey that when our building work was done, I decided that the time had come for me to join in their campaigns.

So – I am optimistic that Seven Sisters will take this opportunity to send a message to this arrogant Labour Council by electing a Liberal Democrat who will fight and stand up for local people!