With campaigning for the General Election under way in the Devizes constituency we meet the Liberal Democrat candidate.

FORMER city high-flyer turned crime writer Manda Rigby says she is committed to the Devizes constituency whatever the outcome of the General Election.

Miss Rigby, 53, who studied politics at Bristol University, always knew that she wanted to become fully involved with the party. She first stood as a candidate for the Liberals in a mock election at school in Bolton back in 1979.

But after a number of years working in the City and then in marketing for top companies such as Microsoft she decided to move to Bath and study for a masters degree in creative writing at Bath Spa University in 2007.

She has written a crime fiction novel but is yet to find a publisher.

She also took her first serious foray into politics when she stood as a Lib Dem candidate for Bath and North East Somerset Council. She was elected to the council’s Abbey ward in May 2011.

She has become very involved in the community in her adopted home of Bath including a stint as chairman of Bath City Football Club. She is also a trained Samaritan.

Miss Rigby, who is single and does not have children, said: “I am really enjoying getting to know the Devizes constituency.

“I like knocking on people’s doors and having a conversation with them even if I don’t end up persuading them to vote Lib Dem. I think my marketing background makes it easy for me just to chat to people and enjoy the conversation.

“Not everyone has agreed with what I have to say but no-one in the Devizes constituency has been rude to me.”

She said the issues that people had raised with her had been far reaching but she felt health, transport and housing were the most important to a majority of constituents.

She said that on health she thought it was important to have for more accident and emergency centres rather than people having to go to Bath or Swindon.

And she would like to see a new train station opened in the constituency and felt this could be possible in Marlborough.

On housing she said it was important for large numbers of homes not to be built in villages that did not have the infrastructure to support them. She also wanted a push for existing empty properties to be put back into the housing chain.

She said that whatever the outcome of the election she would stay involved with the Devizes constituency and help to make sure strong Lib Dem candidates were available for local elections in 2017.

FACT FILE

Age: 53

Address: Percy Place, Bath

Occupation: Former marketing executive now serves on Bath and North East Somerset Council

Marital status: Single

Children: None

Standing in Devizes are: Emma Dawnay (Green); Claire Perry (Conservative); David Pollitt (UKIP); Manda Rigby (Liberal Democrat); Chris Watts (Labour).