Former Witney MP Lord Hurd was back on the campaign trail on Saturday, May 19, drumming up support for the Conservative candidate David Cameron.

Lord Hurd, who stepped down as MP at the last General Election, spent the morning canvassing in the town centre alongside Mr Cameron and talking to shoppers.

As Douglas Hurd he was elected to the then Mid-Oxon constituency in 1974.

He served as Northern Ireland Secretary, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary and was a contender for the leadership of the Conservative Party when Margaret Thatcher stepped down. He lost to John Major.

The Witney constituency was won at the last election by Shaun Woodward, who defected to the Labour party. He is now standing for Labour safe seat of St Helens South.

Lord Hurd, who lives in Westwell, near Burford, said: "David Cameron is a very good listener. Most people think MPs are people who talk a lot, but it is very important they should listen to people. People on the streets are telling us about their lives."

Mr Cameron, who lives in Dean, near Chadlington, said: "People living in rural districts like west Oxfordshire feel let down by the present Government." Mr Cameron and Lord Hurd are pictured talking to Mick Harris, right.

*Nominations for candidates close today. So far, there have been five other nominations for Witney - Mike Bartlet for Labour, Gareth Epps for the Liberal Democrats, Mark Stevenson of the Green Party, Kenneth Dukes of the UK Independence Party and Independent Barry Beadle.

**Picture: Richard Cave