Author Archives: The Voice

This week in the local elections, Lib Dems across England have been getting a great reception on the doorsteps. This is often, for activists, the toughest weekend of the campaign. You’ve been campaigning all year round of course, but particularly intensively for weeks and you’re starting to get a bit knackered.  It is amazing how quickly you go from “there’s still another 10 days to go” to “oh yikes, I need to get these last eve of poll jobs done” though.

Our teams across the country are doing an amazing job. If you haven’t got elections on your patch, offer to help someone who has. There is so much to gain for us in these elections. The more Lib Dem Councillors we gain, the better and fairer the local services we can deliver.

In Derbyshire Ross Shipman is seeing the benefits of his hard work for his community:

Spoke to a chap that doesn’t ever vote today, he took a poster and said he’s registered for the first time ever and turning out to vote because of the work our Lib Dem team have done for him in Tupton.

It really was heartwarming for him to say that.

— Cllr Ross Shipman (@RossShippy) April 21, 2023

And our councillors in Tunbridge Wells have put out a snazzy video highlighting their work

Watch @BenChapelard @JustineRutland @wendyfitzsimm17 @cjhallwriter our #TWBC cabinet members talking about our plans for next year.

To discover more about our Manifesto & candidates, please click the following links.https://t.co/7A4XJduxQqhttps://t.co/R0P7rKyX05 pic.twitter.com/sHtwyrGOtD

— Tunbridge Wells Liberal Democrats 🔶️ (@TWlibdems) April 21, 2023

Lovely afternoon for some canvassing pic.twitter.com/FJ9nw0Vmz9

— Wokingham Lib Dems (@wokinghamlibdem) April 19, 2023

And there’s a street stall in Portsmouth:

ALBERT ROAD STREET STALL: ‘More GPs’ petition up and running with Cllr Suzy Horton @portsmouthld engaging w local residents 😊

Sign #Portsmouth #Southsea #LibDems petition to send the Tories a strong message. Come & see us today or you can sign online 👉🏼 https://t.co/4sXEPwsltv pic.twitter.com/CM4Gx4MsrD

— Lee Hunt 🔶 #VoteLibDem (@LeeHunt6) April 23, 2023

In Worcestershire they are making a LOT of stakeboards

The board manufacturering process continues! More going up this afternoon of anyone wants one?! pic.twitter.com/hEBKpw68Ny

— Dan Boatright 🔶 (@PershoreDan) April 23, 2023

When the Tiverton and Honiton by-election was called, Richard Foord know that local councillors had built a strong foundation for him. Now, he is out trying to get them re-elected.

Everyone knows that the Easter Bank Holiday for political activists is not about lying around and scoffing chocolate.

With the local elections three and a half weeks away, activists up and down the country have been delivering leaflets and knocking on doors.

And there’s a lot to play for.

Yesterday’s Observer had a great article on our campaign, showing how our number of candidates has gone up, while the Tories are not putting up a full slate in areas where they have done before:

While the number of Tory candidates registered to stand – 7,512 – is still comfortably the highest, Ed Davey’s party says there are clear signs that it is now in a better position to exploit Tory difficulties at national level than for many years.

Lib Dem officials say that in many councils across the country where the Tories should be strong, from Stockport in the north-west to Lewes in East Sussex, the Tory party is not fielding full slates of candidates.

The Conservative peer and local government expert Robert Hayward said the Tories would be disappointed not to be able to field more candidates, and that it was clear the Lib Dems were making progress. But he said this was partly to do with council reorganisations, which meant that some areas where the Tories were traditionally strong were not being contested this time.

Ed is quoted:

“In councils across the country, the Liberal Democrats are the party to take on the Conservatives, who have failed people for far too long.

“Whether it is the Conservatives’ cost of living crisis, their failure to manage our NHS or the fact they let water companies pump filthy sewage into our rivers, people are ready for change, and the Liberal Democrats are ready to deliver.”

And yesterday’s I has an article on our hopes and aspirations in the Blue Wall:

Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Berkshire are among the areas where Sir Ed Davey‘s team is confident of making gains. Insiders say demographic change has helped their cause: the “Surrey shuffle”, which has seen young professionals move out of London due to rising house prices, is putting pressure on long-serving MPs such as Dominic Raab and Sir John Redwood, both top targets for the Lib Dems at the next general election. Strategists also suggest the passage of time has helped erase lingering bitterness about the legacy of the coalition government, which had long put off many left-leaning voters.

Around the country, campaigners have been out in the sunshine:

Helping out your neighbours can be FUN too – Team Bristol cycled over to Keynsham today via two cafés and a pub 🔶 pic.twitter.com/gt2FXEsNPS

— Huw James (@Huwniverse) April 8, 2023

Last week, East Marsh ward Cllrs, @NicoIaAisthorpe @stevebeasant @LynseyMcIean, jointly reported 30 more potholes & 10 footpath repairs. Our roads are getting worse! @NELCouncil administration have been 'ducking' this issue for far too long. #EastMarsh @LibDems demand better! pic.twitter.com/E9P4dmppxX

— Nicola Aisthorpe 🔶 (@NicoIaAisthorpe) April 3, 2023