POLITICIAN Charles Kennedy is to make a flying visit to Wootton Bassett tomorrow.

The leader of the Liberal Democrat party will arrive in town in the early afternoon and visit Borough Fields shopping parade.

Mr Kennedy, who will be greeted by mayor Coun Marion Sweet, will be in town for less than an hour but he plans to whip up support for his party's Axe The Tax campaign.

One of the key items on his party's agenda is the axing of the council tax, which it claims is unfair.

Lib Dem town and district councillor Steve Walls said: "We believe a fairer system of taxation should be used, based on the ability to pay.

"Mr Kennedy will be helping us to get that message over.

"It's excellent that he's decided to pay us a visit and we are very pleased we will be able to show him the town.

"He's an effective leader and he is very astute he showed that during the recent Gulf War.

"He obviously thinks north Wiltshire is an important area."

Mr Kennedy, who is due to go on to visit Chippenham, is the latest in a long string of politicians to have visited Swindon and the surrounding area over the past few years.

In May 2001 Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Swindon's New College and former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown visited Malmesbury.