Liberal Democrat Julia Ewart has been reselected to challenge Therese Coffey again in the Suffolk Coastal seat at next year's General Election.

Ms Ewart stood in 2019, coming third behind Dr Coffey and Labour's Cameron Matthews.

But the party hopes that its current revival in rural seats could propel it into a strong position at next year's election which is expected to be held in either May or October.

Since the last general election Ms Ewart has won a seat on East Suffolk council.

Julia Ewart has lived in the Suffolk Coastal area for more than 25 years. Starting out her career as a Nightingale nurse, Julia left the NHS to raise a family and run her own interior design and build business.

She was also a founder member of the IP17 GNS Good Neighbour Scheme in Saxmundham, Kelsale and Benhall, which was launched at the very start of the Covid pandemic to provide a co-ordinated community response to those most in need.

She said: “Suffolk Coastal is so very ready for change and in the recent council elections, electors voted for just such a change. Within the constituency, the Liberal Democrats won 11 council seats while the Tories lost 24 seats to claim just 15.

“Residents know that they now have a highly effective team of councillors who will genuinely listen to their needs and get things done.

"When I’m speaking to residents in my capacity as a councillor and as a volunteer, they are telling me they want a proactive MP who is going to deliver on their promises; cleaning up the rivers and coastline, tackling rural crime and ensuring we get social housing back on track.”

The Green Party - which won the largest number of seats on East Suffolk Council in May's local election - has already chosen former Labour group leader at Suffolk County Council Julian Cusack as its parliamentary candidate. 

He is hoping to improve on its fourth-placed finish in 2019.

And Labour, which came second to Dr Coffey, is in the process of selecting a candidate for the seat.