Last night, after six weeks of campaigning, four hustings, hundreds of doorstep conversations and thousands of leaflets (sorry!), I was proud to be declared the newly-elected Member of Parliament for Richmond Park. It has been a real privilege to have served this constituency as the MP for the last four and a half years and I am deeply honoured to have been re-elected to serve for a further term.
I have been fortunate to have been supported in my election campaign by hundreds of volunteers, to whom I am incredibly grateful for all their hard work. Our elections are also not possible without the tireless work of council officers who manage polling stations and count ballots as well as the police who ensure events run smoothly. Our democracy could not function without them and they have my sincere gratitude.
Across the country, the face of politics has changed dramatically. The Conservatives have suffered the worst election defeat in recent history and Labour have made sweeping gains across the country. They now hold 412 seats in Westminster and with the Conservatives dissolving into chaos, there is a real need for a strong unified opposition.
I am incredibly pleased to say that the Liberal Democrats stand ready to be that opposition. Overnight, we have once again become the UK’s third party, increasing our held seats from 11 in 2019, to 71 as of last night. This is the best result in my party's history and I am thrilled to be joined by so many new colleagues for the next Parliament.
For the first time in 9 years, we have dozens of Liberal Democrat MPs fighting for a more tolerant, open, and caring society. We will fight for closer ties with Europe, better public services, and an end to sewage dumping.
Here in Richmond Park, I will keep working to bring more police into our community, get Hammersmith Bridge reopened, and block both the Teddington DRA and the 3rd Runway.
As always, if you have a concern about a local issue, a view on policy, or simply need help, please don’t hesitate to write to me at office@saraholney.com.
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