Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Wokingham constituency, has joined his party in calls for an immediate General election following last week’s local election results.
Wokingham’s Liberal Democrats gained a seat, and in the Wokingham parliamentary seat achieved nearly 50% of the vote against the Conservatives’ 34.3%.
This is the sixth successive year that the Liberal Democrats have gained seats on Wokingham Borough council, he noted.
Nationally, the Liberal Democrats were big winners at the 2024 local elections, gaining more than 100 seats, winning control of councils in Dorset and Tunbridge Wells, and finishing ahead of the Conservatives in terms of the total number of Councillors.
Across the country, the Lib Dems won 522 seats compared with the Conservatives 515.
In parliament, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey tabled a motion of no confidence in Rishi Sunak’s government in a bid to force a June General election.
Clive Jones said: “Sir John Redwood is on notice, the Liberal Democrats are on the up and we’re ready for a General election.
“This set of local elections has been damning for Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives. Nationally they have been pushed into third place by the Liberal Democrats, who saw stunning gains across the country.
“During the campaign, people told us they wanted change and they wanted to send the Conservatives a message they couldn’t ignore. Now they have.
“Looking at the wards that are entirely in the new Wokingham Parliamentary constituency, the Lib Dems achieved 49.6% of the vote and won 18 council seats.
“The Conservatives won 34.3% and only six seats, with Labour getting 13.7% and three seats.
“We urgently need a General election.
“From the cost of living crisis to the NHS crisis, this dire Conservative government needs to be removed from office.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey added: “Conservative MPs need to wake up and smell the coffee, and back giving the country the election it so desperately wants and needs.”
