Ex-Lib Dem minister backs Green leader in election

Former politician, Norman LambImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Sir Norman Lamb served as the MP for North Norfolk for almost two decades

  • Published

A former Liberal Democrat minister has endorsed a Green Party leader in the forthcoming general election.

Sir Norman Lamb has come out publicly to back Adrian Ramsay, the Green's co-leader, who is standing to become the first Waveney Valley MP on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.

This is despite the Liberal Democrats intending also to contest the seat, although a candidate is yet to be named.

Mr Lamb, who was North Norfolk MP for nearly two decades, said: "Tribal politics does not serve the country well – if you see capable people running for parliament from other parties, you should be willing to say so."

Image source, LDRS
Image caption,

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsey is campaigning to take the new Waveney Valley seat

While Sir Norman is backing the Greens in Waveney Valley, he is sticking along party lines in his former constituency, telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service his "main objective" was to get the Liberal Democrat candidate for North Norfolk elected.

The former minister, who served during the 2010 Lib Dem-Conservative coalition government, said of his decision to support Mr Ramsey:

"This election is an opportunity to elect a higher calibre of candidate compared to what we have endured from this current Conservative government.

"I’ve known Mr Ramsay for many years and we have discussed in depth how to be an effective MP, which I have learnt through 18 years of parliamentary experience."

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