Love Britain? Stop Brexit!
Voters are embracing positivity, the Lib Dems and remaining in the EU.
When the local government election results came in on 3rd May – over 1300 seats lost by the Tories, the Labour party failing to capitalise on the Tory collapse and losing over 80 of their own Councillors, and over 700 won by the Liberal Democrats – did you look at them and think that’s an electorate telling Theresa May to “get on with Brexit”? No, me neither.
What I saw was voters putting their faith in the party that has consistently represented those who want to Remain in the European Union, the party that believes that it’s democratic for all voters to have a Final Say on any EU Exit deal.
In Elmbridge, the fantastic LibDem team increased their vote share by 37%, re-electing their sitting Councillors by a whopping 58-63% of the vote, gained a new councillor and helping – along with votes for Residents Association candidates – to oust three Tory councillors. Source: Elmbridge.gov.uk
According to the leader of Elmbridge Conservatives, James Browne, those councillors paid the price for the
“chaos at Westminster”
Well yes – the Tories and the Labour party haven’t covered themselves in glory in the last three years, but it was far more than that. For me, in our constituency, this was a vote for something – a positive choice, not an exasperated protest. It was a vote for a party with a strong track record of local delivery, a vote for investment in police, schools, and the environment, a vote for a more positive future for our economy, our society and our community. Voters saw through local Conservative lies about the green-belt, their sudden interest in the environment and their about-turn on Heathrow expansion as the cynical vote chasing it was. Instead, voters embraced positive change.
Since the local elections, thousands of new members have joined the LibDems nationwide, further strengthening our momentum as we head into the European elections in just over a week’s time. Polls now show that we are the strongest Remain party in those elections and – in a general election – that we would gain 16% of the share of the vote, with the Tories and Labour tying on 24%. Source: The Times
So, I was delighted to join our MEP candidate Antony Hook at a well-attended, supportive meeting in Esher on Sunday to discuss the European elections, what they mean for voters and why the European Parliament matters to all of us in the UK.
The Liberal Democrats’ European campaign message is clear:
Stop Brexit.
Our manifesto sets out all the reasons why. If you haven’t read it, take a look here.
European values are Liberal Democrat values. Remaining in the European Union is best for Britain; and sending LibDem MEPs to Brussels is best for Europe too. Positive things happen when we work together. Within the European Parliament, our MEPs are part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), a large and influential group who make a real difference on the things that matter to us in Britain: protecting human rights, tackling climate change, championing diverse, inclusive communities and enhancing our democratic institutions. Macron’s En Marche are part of it, Guy Verhofstadt and the Spanish Ciudadanos – and so it is also the dominant and common European front for fighting populism and extremism.
Brexiteers claim that the UK has been bullied, dictated to or ignored by the EU for decades. Nonsense: British MEPs, representing the third largest country in Europe, have been integral to the policy and decision-making process in Europe throughout our membership. LibDem MEPs enhance Britain’s reputation as an outward-looking, tolerant nation that upholds democratic values. Nigel Farage and his ilk – actively absenting themselves from their MEP responsibilities while pocketing their salaries – have done nothing other than hold democracy in contempt. He is attempting to do it again, without even producing a manifesto on what his party stands for (other than leaving the EU) until after the election. Source: The Guardian
I’m proud of what we stand for. A vote for the LibDems on 23rd May is a vote for positivity and peace, for inclusivity and freedom, for tolerance and for democracy. A vote for the LibDems is a vote for European values. And it is a vote for the UK to remain where it belongs: at the very heart of the European Union. Join us and, together, let’s stop Brexit.