NELSON solicitor and former Pendle councillor Sajjad Karim is hoping to be the first Liberal Democrat Asian MEP for the North West after winning the number two slot on the Party's candidate list for next year's European elections.

Mr Karim is being supported by the Liberal Democrats' existing MEP in the region, Chris Davies, who received a massive vote of confidence from party members in his re-election to the number one position.

Mr Karim grew up and went to school in Brierfield where his family still live, and he and his wife Zahida and family now live in Simonstone.

Mr Karim represented Brierfield on Pendle Council for two terms before standing down last year.

He said: "I am delighted and very honoured to have been elected by the members of my party as a top candidate for the European elections next year.

"Chris and I will be working closely together and campaigning hard to build the profile of the Liberal Democrats throughout the North West, not least here in my own home area of East Lancashire.

"I hope to provide the Asian citizens in our region with a voice they do not yet have and help the different communities in the region to better understanding and working together.

"I will also provide a special voice for North East Lancashire.

"But above all, I will be working for the good of the whole of the region and everyone who lives here."

The election for the Liberal Democrat list of 10 was open to all the party members in the North West and took place by the "single transferable vote" system of proportional representation favoured by the party. The turnout of 58 per cent compares with a turnout for selecting the Tory candidates of around two per cent.