YOUNG LIB DEMS SPEAK TO NEWQUAY HOLIDAY MAKERS

8.22.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 27th Aug 2007

Stephen Gilbert with St Austell & Newquay Lib Dem Youth & Students in Newquay

Liberal Democrat Youth & Student members took to the streets of Newquay on Bank Holiday Monday to ask visitors in the town to back a petition calling for more affordable housing.

The team of younger Liberal Democrat members, all in bright T-shirts styled 'Lib Dem Beach Squad' were joined by the town's Parliamentary candidate Stephen Gilbert.

The group handed out leaflets in the busy streets welcoming visitors to Cornwall and explaining some of the problems facing the local community - soaring house prices, high water bills and the low level of funding from government for education.

John Hume, 17, said: "We wanted to speak to the people visiting Newquay on the bank holiday about some of the problems we face in Cornwall, like spending on education and the cost of homes in the area. The people I spoke to were pleased to see us and were very supportive of our call for action on affordable housing."

Newquay's Parliamentary candidate Stephen Gilbert added: "There is a perception that younger people aren't interested in politics, but many that I speak to have strong views on key issues like climate change and housing. It was great to be out on such a sunny day with some of our younger supporters who gave up some of their bank holiday to help campaign for a better deal for Cornwall."