Tag Archives: somerton and frome

Paul Walter

Somerton and Frome diary – Libby alights on our spatulas!

By Paul Walter | Tue 27th June 2023 - 10:44 am

Photo above – In the Frome HQ, showing off Sarah Dyke’s image and their spatulas, are Holly Gunning (l) and Councillor Emily Pearlstone (r)

2015.

It doesn’t seem a long time ago. That was when I last visited Somerton and Frome to campaign for my good friend, David Rendel, in the general election. It was a mark of the chutzpah of David Rendel that he took on the challenge of Somerton and Frome after being MP for Newbury for 12 years.

In the event, the seat was won, with a large majority, by a Conservative newcomer, one David Warburton.

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The Voice

Somerton and Frome by-election “clear contest between Liberal Democrats and Conservatives”

By The Voice | Sat 17th June 2023 - 9:58 pm

Tonight Somerton and Frome MP David Warburton announced his intention to resign from Parliament and cause the 4th pending by-election of this Summer

Somerton and Frome was, of course, held by Lib Dem David Heath from 1997-2015.

Speaking after David Warburton’s announcement this evening our Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said:

The Conservatives have dragged our country through the gutter and taken people for granted. There is no better example of that than in Somerton and Frome.

Time after time the Conservatives have mired themselves in sleaze and scandal neglecting the issues that really matter to people. Then they decided it was ok to leave local people in this seat without any proper representation at all.

This by-election will be a clear contest between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, Labour finished third last time and are completely out of the race.

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Charley Hasted

Sarah Dyke Selected as Lib Dem Candidate for Somerset and Frome

By Charley Hasted | Sun 15th May 2022 - 6:00 pm

The Liberal Democrats have selected Cllr Sarah Dyke as their candidate for the Somerton and Frome constituency.

Sarah lives in the constituency and is from a Somerset farming family which can be traced back over 250 years to the local area. Sarah worked in the agricultural industry and is Portfolio Holder for the Environment on South Somerset District Council where she is spearheading rewilding programmes, investment in electric vehicle charging points and the council’s zero-carbon targets.

Last week Sarah was elected to Somerset County Council to represent Blackmoor Vale, beating the head of the Conservatives’ dedicated anti-Lib Dem unit.

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Stephen Tall

David Rendel selected as Lib Dem PPC for Somerton and Frome

By Stephen Tall | Sun 7th September 2014 - 10:00 am

David Rendel - Some rights reserved by Martin TodCongratulations to former Lib Dem MP for Newbury, David, Rendel, who was last night selected by Lib Dem members in Somerton and Frome as the party’s parliamentary candidate for the May 2015 general election. David will be attempting to retain David Heath’s seat, won in 2010 with a majority of 1,817 over the Tories.

The party has previously selected a PPC for the seat. Sarah Yong was selected in February this year, but stood down five months later. There had even …

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Stephen Tall

UPDATED: Sarah Yong stands down as Lib Dem candidate for marginal seat of Somerton and Frome

By Stephen Tall | Mon 14th July 2014 - 7:55 pm

20140201-202125.jpg Sarah YongIt’s six months since Sarah Yong was selected as the Lib Dem candidate for Somerton and Frome, held by David Heath since 1997. Today she’s announced her decision to stand down. Here’s the letter she’s sent to her local paper, announcing the news:

Dear Editor,

I just wanted to let you know that it is with great regret that I’ve decided to stand down from my role as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Somerton and Frome. I have made this decision for personal reasons and as a result of changes in

…

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Caron Lindsay

Sarah Yong selected as Liberal Democrat candidate for Somerton and Frome

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 1st February 2014 - 8:06 pm

Sarah Yong has received a very special 30th birthday present – selection as Liberal Democrat candidate for Somerton and
Frome. She hopes to replace David Heath MP who is standing down.

So, who is Sarah? Well, her Leadership Programme profile tells us:

Sarah was born in Edinburgh to a Scottish mother and a Chinese Malaysian father, and her family moved to Somerset when she was three years old. Sarah attended local state schools before graduating with a BA in Politics and History.

Upon leaving university, Sarah embarked on a military career and attended The Royal Military Leadership Academy for Officer training in 2007.

…

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Sam Phripp

As David Heath stands down, local councillor Sam Phripp pays a personal tribute

By Sam Phripp | Tue 15th October 2013 - 2:10 pm

On Friday night at a constituency meeting, David Heath, my MP, my boss and my friend told Liberal Democrats that he won’t be seeking re-election in 2015. I couldn’t honestly write down all the things that I was feeling then – sometimes we’re feeling too many things at the same time.

I wanted to write now and talk about the man that I know, and how him standing down will be a great personal loss so many people in Somerton and Frome.

To me, David Heath isn’t a politician, he’s the chap who knew instinctively to ask about my A-Level results …

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Stephen Tall

++ David Heath announces he will stand down as an MP in 2015

By Stephen Tall | Fri 11th October 2013 - 8:25 pm

Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome David Heath, who earlier this week lost his rural affairs ministerial job, will stand down at the next election:

 

Elected in 1997 by just 130 votes, David has been re-elected a further three times with increasing majorities – by 2010 it had grown to 1,817. However, there’s no doubt that his decision to retire will make the scrap to hold this seat against the Conservatives even tighter in 2015.

Update: Saturday AM

The Frome Standard reports David telling a constituency meeting last night:

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