Just one issue dominates Nick’s weekly letter: the Eastleigh by-election and the close contest between the Lib Dems and Tories. Here’s his letter in full…

Five days. That is all we have got left to make sure the people of Eastleigh send Mike Thornton to Westminster as their new MP. Five days to make a difference.

I went back to Eastleigh this week. And each time I visit, I am overwhelmed by the number of volunteers, from all over the country, who are giving up their spare time to come and support our excellent candidate Mike. Our HQ is buzzing with people and among the army of activists you can spot Vince, Shirley, Simon, Kirsty, Tim and Ed and many more.

On Tuesday Mike Thornton and I visited the Rose Bowl cricket ground where, by bringing international matches to the venue, the Lib Dem Council is helping create 500 new jobs and bring millions of pounds of investment into the local economy.

It’s one of the many examples where the Lib Dems on the Council and the Lib Dems in Government are making a difference, creating a stronger economy and a fairer society.

It is a truly amazing campaign being fought by our team and I would like to thank everyone who has supported it so far. But now is not the time to let up. We know that it’s going to be tight and we don’t take any vote for granted.

Tax fairness has dominated this campaign. £600 back in people’s pockets this April thanks to Liberal Democrats raising the tax-free personal allowance. In Eastleigh, real-terms cuts to council tax every year for the last ten years. And our ongoing battle to deliver a mansion tax to make sure the wealthiest in Britain pay their fair share in these difficult times. Fairness for all on tax, from national government and from local government: that’s the message that’s cutting through strongly in Eastleigh and around the country.

I will be back in Eastleigh – more than once! – and I really hope I’ll see you there. If you can’t make it there are lots of other things you can do to help.

Click here now to either donate or volunteer – it’s going to be close between Mike and the Conservative – your help will be crucial.

Five days to make a difference. Five days to make sure the Liberal Democrats’ voice in Eastleigh, in Westminster and across the country is heard loudly and clearly.

Best wishes,

nick_light.png

Nick Clegg
Leader of the Liberal Democrats

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* Stephen was Editor (and Co-Editor) of Liberal Democrat Voice from 2007 to 2015, and writes at The Collected Stephen Tall.