Monica Harding and the Liberal Democrats have called for an immediate General Election in light of Thursday 2nd May's Local Election results.

Voters across Esher & Walton are turning to the Liberal Democrats in greater numbers. They are now the largest party on Elmbridge Borough Council, after winning four more seats on Friday 2nd May, taking their total number of seats to 23. They won 43% of the votes, versus the Conservatives on 29%, with the Tory vote collapsing. 

Of the 12 wards in Esher & Walton, Dominic Raab’s constituency, the Tories managed to hold on to just one. These results provide further evidence that the Conservatives are totally out of touch with voters in traditional Tory heartlands and that the “Blue Wall” is crumbling. Dominic Raab has been largely absent over the last year, only voting in 12 Parliamentary debates since last May, while he spends one week a month away from his constituency work, consulting for a private equity company. Two weeks ago - just a few days before the local elections - he started another consultancy role for the World Gold Council.

Nationally, the Liberal Democrats were the big winners at the 2024 local elections, gaining over 100 seats, winning control of councils in Dorset and Tunbridge Wells, and finishing ahead of the Conservatives in total number of Councillors. 

In Parliament, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has tabled a motion of no confidence in Rishi Sunak’s Government in a bid to force a June General Election. 

Commenting, Monica Harding Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Esher & Walton, said:

“The people of Esher & Walton are fed up with a part-time MP who is pursuing his own interests with two other jobs. It's about time the people of Esher & Walton were properly represented and their interests put first. The Conservative party 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. 

“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 Ed Davey MP added: 

“Conservative MPs need to wake up and smell the coffee, and back giving the country the election it so desperately wants and needs. The longer this appalling government stumbles on, the worse it is for the NHS, people’s living standards and our environment.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

The Liberal Democrat draft motion reads: “That this House has no confidence in His Majesty's Government.” By convention, if the Prime Minister loses a vote on it he will have to ask the King to dissolve Parliament, triggering a general election.

The last time a Government lost a confidence motion was James Callaghan’s Labour Government in 1979, forcing an election five weeks later.