A LYTHAM-born former MP is to lead the Liberal-Democrats' European fight in the North West.

Chris Davies, 43, ex-MP for Littleborough and Saddleworth, tops the Lib-Dems' 10-strong candidate list for the North West in next year's election battle for the European Parliament.

New arrangements mean that all the existing Euro-constituencies are being scrapped in 1999, giving the North West 10 Euro-MPs who will represent the entire region of seven million people.

Mr Davies, who was born in St Annes War Memorial Hospital, left the Fylde when he was three, but can claim a strong loyalty to a wide swathe of the North West.

He grew up in Cheshire and served on both Merseyside and Greater Manchester councils before winning a controversial parliamentary by-election in Littleborough and Saddleworth in 1995. He also fell-runs in the Lake District.

He commented: "The Liberal Democrats aim to provide the North West with a strong voice in Europe. We will concentrate on the issues that matter, like creating more jobs and safeguarding the environment.

"We want Britain to play a leading role in the development of the European Union, but the Europe we seek will be more democratic, will decentralise decision-taking so far as possible, and will foster the diversity of our regional and national cultures."

Fylde Mayor and chair of the North West Liberal Democrats Councillor Anne Smith said: "With a fair voting system being introduced for the first time, Liberal Democrats will be campaigning hard to ensure that we get a significant number of MEPs elected to represent the North West."

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