GIDEON Amos will be hoping it's third time lucky when he contests the Taunton Deane seat at the next General Election.

Mr Amos has been officially chosen to stand for the LibDems at the next poll - he previously lost out to Conservative Rebecca Pow in 2017 and 2019.

His nomination was unanimously endorsed at the local party's general meeting on Friday (November 4).

He said: “I’m delighted to have such strong backing to stand as candidate in the General Election in Somerset’s proud Liberal tradition.

"People are fed up with the chaos of Conservative rule.

"Freeing people from the financial uncertainty – and the poverty – that too many have been plunged into by today’s Conservative party, fairness, and the natural order of the planet, are the liberal values vitally needed to bring stability and decency back to our country’s politics.

"For the Conservatives in charge for 12 years, it’s still one rule for them and another for the rest of us.

“The division, confusion and weakness of today’s Conservative party has failed to deliver on their promises and has catastrophically dealt long-lasting damage to people’s mortgage rates and to our whole economy.

“My experience contesting the two snap General Elections recently won us a seven per cent increase in share of the vote, on each occasion, here in Taunton Deane, which alongside our winning of every local election held in this constituency since 2019, just shows how far and how fast support for decent Liberal values is once again on the rise – and how possible a win over the Conservatives now is as we keep building on our support, listening and working for local people all year round.

"Newcomers are joining the team everyday and all are very welcome."

Mr Amos grew up in Somerset and works on renewable energy projects including some of the largest offshore wind farm projects in the world. He was awarded the OBE for services to sustainable development.

Among more than 150 local members and supporters who joined him for dinner after he was chosen to fight the seat was former Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland.

He said: "Gideon is well known and liked throughout this constituency. His roots here in Somerset and his experience running a national organisation, in business and in sustainable development mean he would make a formidably strong MP for the Taunton and Wellington area in Parliament."

Mr Carmichael added: “I can see it’s already an exciting campaign to be part of – and an important one.

"Given Conservative MPs and ministers who simply take people’s vote for granted, lurching from one extreme to another in their ongoing internal civil war, we urgently need an MP in the House of Commons of Gideon’s calibre and from Somerset’s Liberal tradition to once again stand up to those in power on behalf of local people.

"I’ve seen Gideon in action and that’s exactly what he’ll do for this, his community."

To win Taunton Deane, the LibDems require a nine per cent swing from the Conservatives.