THE Liberal Democrat candidate for Worcester has defended herself for not turning up to a series of husting events in the city.

Jackie Alderson said she cannot afford to take a whole month off from running her business –Droitwich-based Optimum PR – because it would cost her too much money.

Ms Alderson managed to attend your Worcester News’ live debate last Wednesday night but since then she has sent, where possible, a representative to hustings events organised by Worcester Students’ Union, Worcester Trades Union Council – which took place on Thursday night – and Worcester Sixth Form College to speak on her behalf. Ms Alderson has also denied any conflict of interest with Worcestershire County Council, which is listed as one of her business’ clients on her website, as she said that contract was finished a couple of years ago.

Ms Alderson, a single mum, said she did not have a “financial safety net” on which to fall back on during this campaigning period so she had to work during the day. She said: “I would love to be in that position but I am not.

“I don’t believe politics is only accessible to rich people, I don’t think that’s right.”

Ms Alderson said it was regrettable neither she, nor a representative, could attend the Worcester Trades Union Council hustings but added her political agent, Paul Griffiths, had told her this general election was the busiest he had known in recent times in terms of the number of events candidates had been invited to.

Ms Alderson added that she would be “going night after night” to events this week. Ms Alderson said while her time is split between her work and politics at the moment, she would mothball the company she set up in 2005 if she was elected as Worcester’s MP.

The key marginal Worcester seat is also being contested by Jack Bennett (UKIP), Andrew Christian-Brookes (Independent), Mike Foster (Labour), Spencer Kirby (BNP), Peter Nielsen (Independent), Andrew Robinson (Pirate Party UK), Louis Stephen (Green Party), and Robin Walker (Conservative).

• Watch Jackie Alderson at last week's live Worcester News election debate here.