Family hoping to send five members to Commons

Lis Wilson is standing in Halifax and her daughter Rebecca in Rotherham while ex-husband Mick Taylor and his wife Ruth Coleman are standing in Leeds.

Mr Taylor's sister Wendy, a prominent councillor, who completes the line-up, is standing in Newcastle East.

Dr Wilson, a mother-of-two from Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield, said much of the family's involvement in politics stemmed from Mr Taylor's parents, Brian and Susan Taylor, of Bromley, Kent.

Dr Wilson said: "They are both 90 and still attend the Lib Dem conference every year.

"Brian was at one time the only Liberal councillor in the whole of Greater London and stood unsuccessfully for Parliament several times.

Both of them have been involved in Liberal politics for over 50 years.

"I met Michael through the Young Liberals and we got married within a couple of years in 1972.

"We moved to Todmorden and started the revitalisation of the Liberal party there. Both Michael and myself have been mayors of Todmorden and we lived there all the time we were married, 31 years.

"I stood for Bury North in the 1980s and then again in Colne Valley in 2005."

She was a late selection as Halifax candidate Diane Park resigned in the aftermath of the MPs' expenses furore. "Rebecca was on the Euro list for Yorkshire and Humber last year but this is the first time she has stood to be an MP and it's Wendy's first time too.

"She is a cancer specialist and a very well-known politician in Newcastle and has a decent chance of winning."

Asked how she rated the family's chances on Thursday night she said: "I would say the electoral scene is so volatile that anything is possible.

"This is the most exciting General Election I have been involved in and we will all be busy texting one another to let each other know how we have got on.

"I don't think a situation like this will ever happen again."

Ruth Coleman, who is standing in Leeds West, has stood for Parliament four times before. She is employed as the Liberal Democrat group support manager at Kirklees Council.

Mr Taylor was a councillor for 22 years and is standing for Leeds Central.