Stephen Lloyd - parliamentary challenger for Eastbourne & Willingdon

Stephen Lloyd and Sir Ming Campbell MP

Stephen Lloyd bucked the trend in the South East of England by halving the Tory MP's majority at the 2005 General Election, making the constituency the second most winnable Con/Lib Dem target seat in the United Kingdom. Boundary changes mean the fight will be even closer at the next election.

Nick Clegg MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats said: "Stephen was an exceptional parliamentary candidate at the last General Election and came very close to winning. He is a leading figure within the Lib Dems nationally and I look forward to him joining me in Parliament after the next General Election."

Stephen lives in Old Town at the heart of the constituency. He is a school governor at Ocklynge School, a Trustee of LINK, a Member of the Eastbourne Society, the Friends of the Towner, the Devonshire and the Hippodrome Theatre. His close involvement in the community means that Stephen appreciates the needs of local people because he shares them every day.

He has led many high-profile campaigns in Eastbourne & Willingdon: including opposing the Tory Pay to Park scheme, a successful re-opening of a Post Office in Hampden Park and joining the Sovereign Harbour Residents Association in seeing off an application by B&Q to open a megastore in North Harbour. Stephen has also been involved in numerous campaigns to protect the local hospital - DGH - from cuts, and campaigning continues almost on a daily basis as the Government persist in its desire for salami style cutbacks to the local NHS. With an uncle, Grandfather and Great Grandfather having been serving police officers, he is also a robust campaigner for tougher, practical action on anti-social behaviour.

As a business development consultant Stephen has worked with the UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Protection, Finance Initiative) on raising sponsorship from the G8 Banking sector and, currently, the FSB (Federation fo Small Business). He continues to act on an ad-hoc consultancy basis for Grass Roots, a £250 million turnover performance improvement company. Prior to the 2005 General Election he was their longstanding Business Development Director/Head of Diversity Services but, subsequently, has moved to a freelance consultancy role to allow him to concentrate on winning Eastbourne for the Liberal Democrats at the next General Election. Though educated in the UK, Stephen was born and brought up in Mombasa, Kenya.