Liam Preston was the Labour Party candidate for Epping Forest at the General Election in June 2017. Liam lived in Thurrock, Essex for most of his life and now lives in nearby Shenfield.
He is the Head of Communications for the charity YMCA England & Wales. In this role, he leads on engaging with government on the issues affecting vulnerable young people and responds to policies which impact on their lives. He also has responsibility for the organisations brand, digital comms and press functions.
Liam has been a campaigner and volunteer for all of his life and was an advisor to the Council of Europe between 2012-2014. In this role, he shaped and scrutinised policies of the Council of Europe, helping to build strong and active citizens. He has continued this passion for supporting young people as Vice-Chair of his local primary school’s governing body.
His involvement in the Labour party started during University where he was the youth officer for the Canterbury and Whitstable CLP, as well as being the vice-chair for the Canterbury branch. In 2012 he returned to Thurrock where he became youth officer for the CLP and stood as a candidate in the local elections. After moving to Brentwood he was chosen as the constituency’s parliamentary candidate for the 2015 General Election.
He has a strong passion for the co-operative movement and is a member of the Co-op Party. He was the Chair of the Co-op Party National Youth Committee as well as being the eastern region representative.
Liam has always been passionate about the role that young people can play in society and was a trustee of the British Youth Council – the national youth council in the UK – for four years, serving as chair of the charity between 2010-12. Over this time he engaged with young people, parents, members of the community, councillors, MPs and ministers – raising the issues important to young people and fighting for change in their society.
At University he studied Film, Radio and Television production – specialising in film directing and in his spare time established and managed the first community radio station in the country to be run by students – CSR FM. It was over these two years as station manager for the radio station that Liam began engaging the community and discussing issues which are important to people.
After this period he was elected and subsequently re-elected as President of Canterbury Christ Church University Students’ Union and went on to complete a Masters in International Security and the Politics of Terror.
