Prominent former Labour party member Professor Philippe Sands QC has joined the growing number of local residents who are turning their backs on Gordon Brown's discredited Government and backing Ed Fordham to win in Hampstead and Kilburn. His backing comes just as the Guardian Newspaper is also abandoning its long held support for Labour, and throwing its weight behind what it calls the "party of progress" in the Liberal Democrats.

In his letter, as well as backing Ed Fordham personally, describing him as "a candidate of great integrity... passionate... capable and enormously hard working", Professor Sands details his disillusionment with New Labour. "This General Election provides a once-in-a-century moment to redefine British politics. I thought that moment might come in 1997, but like many people I got New Labour wrong."

He goes on to describe why he believes the Liberal Democrats are the right party to lead this country forward, saying that the Lib Dems have done "the right things on the issues of justice and international affairs...adopting principled positions that have been shown to be right and consistent with this country's fundamental values. They are the only party to speak honestly and fairly about the country's economic predicament. They have the right policies on immigration, on fair taxes, on education, on Trident, on Britain's place in Europe and in the World."

Professor Sands ends his letter with a passionate plea for the residents of Hampstead and Kilburn to back Ed and the Liberal Democrats. "This election provides each of us with a unique opportunity to redefine Britain. It is vital to vote, and to do so for real political and constitutional change. This is a constituency that the Liberal Democrats can and should win. I strongly support Ed's campaign, and invite you to contact me if you would like to get involved. I urge you to vote for him, and give Hampstead its first Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament on 6 May."

A full copy of the letter can be found here.