Susan Kramer Selected to Fight Richmond Park as PPC

4.57.01pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 12th Sep 2003

Susan Kramer, PPC for Richmond Park

At a packed selection meeting in the North Kingston Centre, Richmond Park Liberal Democrats have chosen Susan Kramer to be their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the next general election.

The selection was triggered by the decision of the sitting MP Dr Jenny Tonge not to stand for re-election.

Susan, who lives locally in Barnes, was the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London in 2000.

Susan said: "This is my home. Nothing could be more exciting than campaigning on behalf of my friends and neighbours to tackle the problems of local people in Richmond Park. We have a transport nightmare, a desperate shortage of affordable housing and many local people face financial uncertainty in old age."

"Our campaigning will be out on the streets, listening to people to understand their problems and to find solutions. People in Kingston and Richmond have learned the hard way that both Labour and Tory governments have no interest in their problems or their views."

Jenny Tonge welcomed Susan's selection, saying: "I am absolutely delighted that Susan is our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. I've known her and worked alongside her for years. She knows the constituency well and her professional background in finance and transport will be extremely useful in campaigning. I know she will be successful."

ENDS

For further information please contact Jenny Tonge on pager number 07699 734071 or Susan Kramer on 07770 941 006.

Notes for Editors:

Susan Kramer Biography

Susan and husband John live in Barnes, in the constituency of Richmond Park.

She is best known politically as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London in 2000 but has also long been a local activist.

Born in London in 1950, she was educated at St Paul's Girls School, Oxford University (President of the Oxford Union) and the University of Illinois where she took her MBA.

Susan's working career has been in banking, both in the USA as a Vice-President of Citibank and in the UK as a director of Infrastructure Capital Partners.

Susan and John's children, Jonathan 29 and Abigail 26, are fully supportive of their mother's political ambitions, as are Molly the dog and cats Whittington and Nell.