LIBERAL Democrats in Suffolk Central and Ipswich North have chosen a Norwich teacher as their General Election candidate to fight Sir Michael Lord, the Conservative MP since 1983 and a deputy speaker of the House of Commons.

Graham Dines

LIBERAL Democrats in Suffolk Central and Ipswich North have chosen a Norwich teacher as their General Election candidate to fight Sir Michael Lord, the Conservative MP since 1983 and a deputy speaker of the House of Commons.

Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne stood in Norwich South in the past three elections against former Home Secretary Charles Clarke, finishing second in 2005. A senior teacher in a large primary school in Norwich and a former commissioned officer in the Territorial Army, he was also a Norwich city councillor for 12 years.

Mr Aalders-Dunthorne, who lives in the constituency at Fressingfield, said: “To win this seat, we will have to defeat the Tories in rural Mid Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal, and Labour in urban north-west Ipswich. I am looking forward to the challenge.”

At the 2005 election, Sir Michael had a majority of 7,856 over Labour, with the Liberal Democrats in third place.