Andrew Dakers to contest local parliamentary constituency

Local Liberal Democrats have selected Andrew Dakers as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Brentford & Isleworth. The seat is currently held by Ann Keen MP.

He is Vice-chair of Hounslow Borough Liberal Democrats and former Chair of Brentford Community Council. He works in the constituency as a Communications and Business Change Advisor.

Commenting on his selection for Brentford & Isleworth Andrew said, “I grew up in Brentford, and I still live and work in the constituency. This is why I am so determined about making Brentford, Isleworth & Chiswick safer, fairer, greener and fundamentally better places to live.”

He joined Tory candidate Alexander Northcote in committing to not claim the 'Additional Costs Allowance' that the sitting MP currently does on her second home in Covent Garden.

He said: “this has to be a matter for individual MPs to decide. However neither Satnam (the candidate for the other Heston and Feltham seat) nor I would claim any of the £17,669 per annum that husband and wife Alan and Ann Keen MP are each claiming as an ‘Additional Costs Allowance’.”

He went on to say, “Living in our constituencies, just 9 miles from the city centre, we will use public transport to go to work, like most people do.”

Andrew Dakers grew up and still lives in Brentford, but has also lived and worked in developing countries. Andrew holds an MSc in Development Management from The Open University. He is Chair of Brentford Community Council, where he led a number of campaigns on high impact development proposals. he is also an active member of Brentford Action Recycling Group (BRAG).

Beyond politics, Andrew's professional career encompasses both the private and public sector. He worked for several years in public broadcasting before launching a radio station and magazine targeted at students. He then spent time working at the United Nations in New York before assuming his current role as Communications Advisor for one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.

He says his hobby of scuba-diving among sharks means he is well placed to handle future confrontations with Labour and the Tories.

Ann Keen currently holds the seat with a majority of over 10,000 but boundary changes have removed some wards from the constituency that were traditionally Labour strongholds.

November 25, 2004