General election: Lib Dems pick Wera Hobhouse for Bath

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-39769785

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The Liberal Democrats have chosen their general election candidate for Bath - one of the party's top targets.

The selection was rushed through after the party's original candidate stood down last week.

Wera Hobhouse was selected by members during a lunchtime meeting at Bath City Football Club,

The seat is currently held by the Conservative MP Ben Howlett but was previously a Lib Dem stronghold, held by Don Foster for 23 years.

The original prospective parliamentary candidate, Jay Risbridger, picked last autumn, stood down last week due to family and work commitments.

Paul Strasburger, from the Lib Dems's campaign in Bath, said: "It's important to the party nationally because it's a very winnable seat, and therefore it's a central part of our desire to stop a Tory landslide."

Ms Hobhouse, stood for the Lib Dems in North East Somerset at the last general election in 2015, but the seat was won by Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg.