"SHAME ON YOU" - LIB DEM CANDIDATES TELL CAMERON

12.41.39pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 16th Jun 2008

David Cameron

The three new Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidates in Cornwall have hit-out at David Cameron during his visit to Cornwall . They have accused the Conservative leader of "crying crocodile tears" and being "absent without leave" when crucial issues affecting Cornwall were debated, and they have called on the Conservative party leader to "apologise".

The three candidates have launched a report on the Conservative record in Cornwall which highlights the consequences of the policies pursued by the last Conservative Government.

Stephen Gilbert, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for St Austell & Newquay said: "Shame on you Mr Cameron for coming down here without an apology for your party's record."

He added: "Take, for example, housing. It was the Conservatives that introduced the 'Right to Buy' policy which saw thousands of affordable homes lost for Cornish families for good and not replaced by new housing stock. This laid the foundations for the housing crisis that has gripped Cornwall ever since - and the Conservative still don't back plans to limit the number of second homes in Cornwall !"

Terrye Teverson, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Truro & Falmouth , said: "Mr Cameron is crying crocodile tears for the local health service. It was the Conservatives' introduction of the link between NHS funding and low local wages that led to below average funding for our local health service, plunging Cornish hospitals like Treliske into debt and leaving Cornwall 's patients paying the price."

Karen Gillard, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for South East Cornwall said: "Mr Cameron talks a good talk on crime, but his party was absent without leave when it came to funding Cornwall 's police. The last Conservative Government persistently neglected Cornwall , and years of under funding have meant that for every 5 police officers on duty in the rest of the country Cornwall has only 4."