FORMER Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown has praised his party’s record in government and urged supporters in Wiltshire to stick with the party in May’s General Election.

Speaking at the Wiltshire Liberal Democrat’s campaign launch in Chippenham yesterday to adopt their five Wiltshire candidates, including current MP Duncan Hames, Mr Ashdown praised the party for putting the country’s needs first in 2010.

Around 100 people came out to show their support for Mr Ashdown and the Chippenham MP who said it was going to be a really close battle against his Conservative opponent, Michelle Donelan.

Mr Ashdown said: “We took this burden up and none of us believes it would be anything else but difficult but we put our nation first we put what we said about partnership government and stuck to it.

“A coalition was the right thing to do, if we had not done that we would have been an unstable government which could not have passed things through the House of Commons.

“We have got the path to success but the Conservatives and Labour want to veer off this path. We have delivered success this far and we must stay on the ship and keep it on course.”

The chairman of the Liberal Democrats general election team was also keen to highlight to campaigners the party’s record in government over the past five years.

He cited the pupil premium and the increase in basic rate of tax as examples of the Liberal Democrats national policy success as well as Mr Hames' influence in rebuilding Wiltshire College, dualling the A350 in Chippenham and introducing the TransWilts line through Melksham.

Despite these successes, Mr Hames is expecting a really tightly fought contest in the six weeks leading up to May 7.

He said: “It’s bound to be close between us and the Conservatives just like it was last time, every vote will count but we believe that we can win and I am looking forward to the fight.

“I’m very excited, you can tell we are all up for it, there’s a tremendous crowd but it will be very different to the campaign five years ago because we get to share with people my record of the things I’ve been able to get done for this part of Wiltshire.

“I have loved my work I hope to be able to continue it for another five years but I have not been short on motivation to make sure every day counted in parliament and that I could get things done.”