Penelope James selected as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Dover 

A local press release brings the news:

Penelope James, current chair of the local Dover & Deal Lib Dem party, has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the next general election in the Dover & Deal Constituency.

Commenting on her selection Penelope James said:

I am delighted and incredibly honoured to have been selected as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Dover & Deal Constituency. I am passionate about improving the lives of local people and have pledged to be the vocal and visible champion our constituency deserves.

I believe we need to establish a democratic government which really represents the electorate; that we need to bring back integrity, honesty, and credibility into government and that we need a government that really cares about its people and at every level.

Locally I will fight for a fairer, greener, and more prosperous Dover and will focus on key issues including the NHS, crime, local transport, housing, education, and immigration. I am also passionate about improving health and well-being and mental health services.

Kent County Lib Dem group leader, Antony Hook added:

I know the Dover & Deal Constituency very well. Penelope James is a great choice to be the area’s next MP. She has all the skills and qualities needed and, living in the constituency as she does will enable her to be a very effective advocate for the local area and its residents.

Penelope James is a communications consultant and has run her own consultancy for over 25 years. She has considerable business experience having represented a wide range of PLCs, Small to Medium Business Enterprises, as well as start-up businesses across a range of sectors from sports, transport, arts, and media. She has held several commercial Non-Executive Board positions and worked for the United Nations Children’s Fund early on in her career.

She sits on a number of village committees and chairs a local environmental campaigning group, Wootton Environment Protection Group, which has taken Dover District Council to Judicial Review over its decision to approve a major planning application.

She has led several Dover & Deal Lib Dem campaigns including the fight against the siting of the Internal Border Facility at White Cliffs Business Park, Dover and been involved in the campaign to ensure out-patient services remain at Victoria Hospital, Deal.

A parish councillor and ex-chair of Denton with Wootton Parish Council since 2016, Penelope James has also been chair and trustee of South Kent Mind (2019-22) and vice-chair of Pent Valley School (now Turner Free School, Folkestone) from 2014-17.

Born in England, her education and formative years were spent in Ireland. She moved to London in 1988, and Kent in 1995 and has lived in a small village near Denton for over 20 years. She has a Masters degree in Russian and French from Trinity College, Dublin, a number of teaching diplomas and plays alto saxophone in Deal Community Band.

See all the Liberal Democrat PPCs selected and publicly announced so far here.

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