I am delighted that the often-ignored communities in Devon and Somerset have finally been granted their wish for a General Election:
In recent months I have visited over 20,000 homes in almost every town, village and hamlet across Tiverton & Minehead. The support they have shown me has been humbling, and the issues I have picked up have reaffirmed to me the reason I am challenging the Conservative MP here:
We are fed up of being taken for granted. We are rising up to make our voices heard. Our communities have been side-lined for generations as ‘safe seats’ for Conservative candidates who long-ago lost touch with the people they are meant to serve.
Tiverton got their wish for change granted at a by-election in 2022, and that change has been transformational with Richard Foord ranked 20th out of 650 MPs for speaking up for his constituents in Parliament. With Richard’s seat now split into two new ones, I pledge to continue his work in Devon and bring that same representation to Somerset.
Meeting people at their front doors has given me a clear impression that many people across the new constituency have lost hope. I passionately want to restore that hope, and I promise that if elected as MP I will hold the (likely) Labour government’s feet to the fire on their promises to the electorate.
The support for my campaign has come from all corners. I have supporters helping me who have voted Labour and Conservative in the past – and I thank every one of them for joining my fight for to get a fair deal. Many life-long Conservative voters are also backing me: In Somerset, former Conservative councillor David has joined my campaign. In Devon, life-long Conservative councillor Claudette was so impressed by the passion and integrity of the Lib Dems that she joined our party to fight alongside us.
(The UKPollingReport website currently shows Tiverton & Minehead as a tight contest between the Rachel Gilmour for the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.)
