One Year on: Proof That Lib Dems Deliver

When I campaigned for the 2024 General Election, there was a real sense that something historic was about to happen. Across the South West—in Dorset, Somerset, Devon and beyond—our local Liberal Democrat teams had been working tirelessly, winning councils and building trust. We believed that trust and momentum would carry us forward nationally—and it did.

The results were extraordinary. The Liberal Democrats elected a record-breaking 72 Members of Parliament, including two here in Dorset. Our commitment to local communities—delivering results, listening to residents, and standing up for what matters—paid off.

Throughout my years campaigning, I often heard people say, “What’s the point of electing a Lib Dem? You’ll never make a difference in government.” As I approach the anniversary of my election to Westminster, I can say with confidence: that’s simply not true.

Liberal Democrat MPs have always been local champions. I saw that first-hand in the legacy of Annette Brooke, who served this area for 14 years. Families still speak warmly of her help with housing, park homeowners remember her advocacy, and local businesses valued her support navigating Whitehall.

Now, with the help of my brilliant team in our Wimborne office, I’m proud to be continuing that tradition—supporting families with school places, child maintenance and benefits issues, and healthcare, and helping communities tackle road safety, flooding, and infrastructure challenges.

Supported by my policy assistants in London, I’m also championing local government, high streets, the countryside, hospices, and special educational needs in Westminster.

But the real power lies in our collective voice. With 72 MPs, we are making a real impact in Parliament. While Prime Minister’s Questions may grab headlines, much of the real work happens in debates, committees, and behind the scenes—places where Liberal Democrats now have a strong presence.

Our campaign against sewage in rivers has led to a ban on bonuses for water company executives. The Sunshine Bill—originally a Lib Dem Private Member’s Bill—has been adopted into the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, mandating solar panels on almost all new homes. This will cut energy bills, ease pressure on the grid, and help the environment.

From September, our push to provide free school meals to children in poverty—absent from the Conservative, Labour, and Reform manifestos—will become reality, from early years through to further education. We’ve also brought national attention to unpaid family and kinship carers, whose vital contributions have too long gone unrecognised.

Whether it’s defence spending, farming, the crises in Gaza and Ukraine, business rates, dementia care or social housing, Liberal Democrats are holding the government to account and offering constructive solutions.

We’re growing because people are tired of division and looking for a politics that’s compassionate, practical, and rooted in community.

If you share that vision, we’d love you to join us—whether by registering as a supporter, volunteering, or becoming a member