THE Conservative challenger to Oxford West & Abingdon MP Layla Moran has launched his campaign to unseat her.

James Fredrickson undertook a series of events in Abingdon, Kidlington, Wootton and Cumnor this weekend.

Ms Moran narrowly took the seat back from from the Tories in the snap general election last year, after it had been a Lib Dem seat from 1997 to 2010.

She beat former MP Nicola Blackwood by 816 votes and has been widely tipped as a Lib Dem leadership contender.

As part of his campaign launch, Mr Fredrickson said: “Talking to residents on the doorstep the issue of infrastructure comes up time and time again.

“That is why I am backing Oxfordshire County Council’s bid to the Housing Infrastructure Fund, which will critically see an ‘infrastructure first’ approach to any future development.

“For too long developers have seen infrastructure as an afterthought.

“The county council’s bid can play a critical role in reversing that.”