LIBERAL DEMOCRAT EUROPEAN ELECTION SUCCESS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th Jun 2009

North East voters have re-elected Liberal Democrat MEP Fiona Hall to represent them in the European Parliament.

The Lib Dems topped the poll in Northumberland, sweeping to first place in the county with 20,338 votes, ahead of Labour, the Conservatives and UKIP.

And the Liberal Democrats in the North East also secured a higher share of the vote than in any other British region - 17.6% in the North East, compared to an average of 14% in the rest of the country.

A delighted Fiona said:

"I am very grateful to have the privilege of representing Northumberland in Europe for another five years.

"The results in Northumberland are particularly encouraging and show that there is every possibility of making some significant gains at the next general election.

Lib Dem MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed, Sir Alan Beith, said:

"I am delighted that Fiona has been re-elected - she deserves this success for all the hard work she does for Northumberland and the North East.

"It was also very good to see that the Liberal Democrats were well ahead of the other parties in the Berwick constituency and Northumberland as a whole."