WEST Suffolk Liberal Democrats have selected a forensic psychologist to fight the General Election but one of its councillors has quit to stand as an independent.

Graham Dines

WEST Suffolk Liberal Democrats have selected a forensic psychologist to fight the General Election but one of its councillors has quit to stand as an independent.

Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon was selected at the weekend to be the Lib Dem candidate, just days after Forest Heath councillor Andrew Appleby announced he was leaving the party because he was “disenchanted” with party politics.

Dr Brooks-Gordon is a chartered psychologist and leaving academic in forensic psychology and is a regular expert broadcaster on national radio.

Leaving school at 16, she worked as a beautician. She later did a degree and ended up doing a PhD in the law faculty in Cambridge.

A social justice campaigner, she co-wrote the Liberal Democrat women's policy document Real Women (italic) with two MPs and says: “I am proud of our women's policies which will make a real difference to women's lives.”

A Cambridgeshire county councillor, Dr Brooks-Gordon lives in the county with her partner Mark, an equine vet, and four children.

Meanwhile Andrew Appleby has left the Lib Dems to stand on an independent ticket at the General Election, although the decision has nothing to do with Dr Brooks-Gordon's selection.

A Newmarket councillor on Forest District district, Mr Appleby said: “I am standing as an independent, not least so I can be unfettered by political ties and act as a local man who will represent local issues.

“I have become increasingly disenchanted with party politics. I deplore the sniping, point scoring and sound bites which seem to dominate politics,” said Mr Appleby, who moved to Newmarket in 1997 and works in horse transport.