EDEN Valley county councillor Neil Hughes has been selected by the Liberal Democrats as their prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Workington constituency in anticipation of a general election.

Coun Hughes, who lives at Bampton, has lived in Cumbria for around 20 years and as a Liberal Democrat county councillor for the Eden Lakes division has been active in health and community matters. He also chaired West Cumbria’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

Party colleagues say he helped reprieve maternity services at West Cumberland Hospital and supports the Liberal Democrat proposal to raise income tax by 1p in the pound "to safeguard our NHS and to give parity of treatment to both physical and mental health."

Coun Hughes, who is also an active Housing Association member, said he wanted to see the environment more effectively safeguarded in law. “I believe very strongly that remaining in the EU will assist protection of both the built and the rural environment and will be a massive positive influence in tackling climate change.”

West Cumbria Liberal Democrat President Elizabeth Barraclough said: “Neil reflects the strong values of Liberal Democracy. As an MP he will continue his campaign to build a fairer and more compassionate society, and will strongly support much better investment in the Northern regions of the UK.”

Councillor Hughes is known nationally for taking part in the acclaimed Up television series, a documentary about a group of children from vastly different backgrounds, each talking about their hopes and dreams for the future.

The series revisits those children at seven-year intervals to see how their lives have changed - and whether their childhood circumstances had an influence on that.

This summer many of those taking part in that original 1964 show – including Neil Hughes – appeared in the latest instalment, 63 Up.