Nick Clegg visits Birmingham as local by-election called

5.49.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 27th Apr 2009

Nick Clegg visited Birmingham today to meet local people and party workers.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg MP, visited central Birmingham today to meet local residents and party workers in the run up to two important elections.

Nick met with West Midlands Euro MP, Liz Lynne, and other Liberal Democrat candidates for the Euro elections on 4 June in a boost for their campaign to increase Lib Dem representation in Brussels. He also spoke with local people and key workers in the Birmingham City Council by-election called for the same day in Lozells and East Handsworth.

This election is a two horse race between the discredited Labour Party and the resurgent Lib Dems. The result in the ward at the last Council elections in May last year saw the Lib Dems closing in on Labour with the Tories miles back behind two Independent candidates with just 4.5% of the vote.

Nick's visit support support of all the Liberal Democrat candidates for 4 June is an indication of how far the Liberal Democrats are the real challengers to Labour in Lozells and East Handsworth and boosts the local Euro campaign.