Why I am a Liberal Democrat

I became interested in politics and later joined the Liberal Democrats after the death of a pensioner.

When I was 13 friends and I used to visit Mrs Thompson and do her shopping. Mrs Thompson was a war widow living in one room separated by double doors with no heating or electricity other than two light bulbs. There was a communal toilet and bathroom down some steep stairs. We used to sit and chat, she talking about her life in the parish.

Gradually over the time I visited her she became increasingly frail and her mind began to wonder. My friends and I repeatedly asked the Conservative Council to help her but they said there were people far worse off then Mrs Thompson who needed help. She was not bad enough. One day Mrs Thompson was mugged and hospitalised. When she returned home she was in an even worse state increasingly incontinent and confused. We asked for help but she was not bad enough. She deteriorated further refusing access to the nurse and us. In the snow she refused to close her windows although she had no heating other than a gas oven. She caught pneumonia, she was "bad enough" she died almost immediately.

It was for people like Mrs Thompson too weak to stand up for themselves that I became involved in politics.

I joined the Liberal Democrats because they recognise the freedom of the individual relies on the support of the community.

Emily campaigning for a decent state pension