It’s been a fast-paced few weeks since the General Election was called. I have campaigned all across New Forest West – from Ringwood and Fordingbridge down to Lymington, New Milton and the villages in between – and listened to local people about the local issues which really matter to them.

You wouldn’t have heard the Conservatives mentioning them much but the lack of affordable housing and bus routes were common issues raised on the doorsteps. I remain determined that Lib Dem campaigners and councillors across the New Forest will work hard to address these issues in the face of overwhelming Conservative opposition.

We didn’t win in New Forest West but I am proud of my team for what we did achieve:

• The Conservative MP’s vote share decreased for the first time since New Forest West was established.
• The Lib Dems are now second in the constituency with 15.3% of the vote (an increase of 5.7%).
• We knocked on more doors than we ever have in New Forest West during an election campaign with more than 700 doors knocked during the campaign.

I want to thank my amazing team who helped us put in place crucial building blocks for a challenge in 5 years’ time. Their hard work inspired me throughout the campaign. A big thank you must also go to my friends and family for putting up with me over the past few weeks, the other candidates for being really high-quality and I hope those who lost stick around, and I would like to thank the New Forest District Council staff who helped the election to run smoothly and ensured the quickest ever declaration for New Forest West. The future for the Lib Dems in New Forest West looks bright. Onwards to 2021 and 2023!