Mother and daughter go head-to-head in local election
There have been few things that have surprised Frances Leonard in local politics. The 74-year-old has served as a parish councillor, a district councillor, the mayor of St Albans and the chairman of her local Conservative association. However, on Thursday, she will be standing against her daughter.
Mrs Leonard said: 'Somebody said to me: 'So your daughter's standing against you in Marshalswick & Colney Heath?' I went: 'Is she?' I obviously didn't pay attention to the nomination paper. I said: 'Is [the Green group leader] having a laugh?''
Mrs Leonard was born in Warwickshire, but moved to the St Albans area 51 years ago after meeting her husband at the School of Pharmacy in London. On Thursday, she will be standing as the Conservative candidate
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Neil Mackay is the Herald's Writer-at-Large. He's a multi-award winning investigative journalist, author of both fiction and non-fiction, and a filmmaker and broadcaster. He specialises in intelligence, security, crime, social affairs, cultural commentary, and foreign and domestic politics
