Lib Dems Complete Election Team

6.00.00pm GMT Sun 25th Jan 2009

Southampton Candidates David Goodall (Itchen) and David Callaghan (Test)

Southampton's Liberal Democrats have selected their candidate to fight in the city's Test seat at the next general election. David Callaghan was chosen by the local Lib Dem party members as their choice to take on the constituency's current MP, Alan Whitehead.

He joins local councillor David Goodall, who was selected as the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate in Southampton Itchen last year. Working with the party's councillors, they will make a strong team to challenge Labour and the Conservatives.

David Callaghan grew up in Southampton and Totton, attending Newlands Primary School in Millbrook up to the age of 10. After studying and working in London, he later returned to the city to work for Southampton City Council as a public relations officer.

He is currently a councillor and deputy mayor in the London Borough of Sutton, but will be spending a lot of time in Southampton over the next few years. His parents, brother and sister all still live in Totton. On his selection as the Southampton Test candidate David Callaghan said :-

"I am really excited about being selected by my party to stand for election in my home city. I am committed to working extremely hard to win people's support and to become, with David Goodall, this city's first Liberal Democrat MPs."

Southampton Liberal Democrat chairman Cllr Gerry Drake said: ""I am delighted to have such an experienced candidate who knows the city well to represent the Lib Dems in fighting the Test seat."

David Callaghan is an experienced journalist, who has worked for Meridian Television and Radio Solent, as well as The Guardian newspaper's website Guardian Unlimited as a news editor. He is currently a freelance specialising in the public sector.