News Release

27th February 2003

VISIT BY 25 COMMONWEALTH MPs TO LICHFIELD

Twenty five MPs from 18 Commonwealth Parliaments including Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria, India, South Africa, and Malaysia will be meeting Michael Fabricant at the George Hotel in Lichfield on the 8th March to hear about the work of a British MP in his constituency.

The visitors are in the United Kingdom for 10 days under the auspices of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) based in Westminster. Most of the time, the MPs will be in London, but Michael Fabricant has been able to persuade the CPA to choose Lichfield for a 2 day visit to show Commonwealth MPs how local government works in the UK.

Michael Fabricant says "I am delighted that my colleagues from overseas will be visiting Lichfield. They will see for themselves that London isn't the be all and end all of Britain and that Lichfield is a beautiful part of our country. The visit will show life outside of the capital and apart from seminars on local and national Government, they will be able to sample local restaurants, visit our 800 year old cathedral, and buy some souvenirs. This visit is yet another step to put Lichfield on the international tourist map and it will build strong ties between Lichfield and countries of the Commonwealth".