Liberal Democrat Susan Kramer launched her campaign today to win a second term as MP for the Richmond Park and North Kingston constituency.

Baroness Ros Scott, the Lib Dem president, joined Mrs Kramer at her campaign headquarters in Richmond to kick off the four week campaign until polling day on May 6.

Elected to parliament for the first time in 2005, Mrs Kramer has a fight on her hands with Zac Goldmith, the Conservative party contender.

She said: “Being MP for Richmond Park and north Kingston is a privilege. I have helped thousands of local residents with their problems, taking up their cases and fighting the Government on their behalf.”

The Richmond Park constituency was created at the 1997 election, when local boundary changes brought together two halves of separate Conservative constituencies.

Jenny Tonge was the victor for the Liberal Democrats, which have held the seat since. With a majority of 3,649, it is 61st on the Tories’ target list and would take a swing of 3.6 per cent to deliver it into Mr Goldsmith’s hands.

Mrs Kramer, the Lib Dem families spokesman in Nick Clegg’s team, said she would be campaigning on her record as a hardworking local MP who has fought for the issues that matter to local people.

Campaigns against Heathrow expansion and parking charges in Richmond Park have been in the headlines recently and she said: “I will continue to fight to stop cuts to NHS services at Kingston Hospital, to keep improving our secondary schools and to keep our area special.”