Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey believes his party can not only win a majority on East Cambridgeshire District Council next month but could possibly oust Lucy Frazer as MP.
He was speaking on a visit to Ely yesterday to meet with local Lib Dem candidates and to pay a visit to Prospects Unwrapped, which provides supported training places to people with additional needs.
Centre, Ely
Wednesday 12 April 2023.
Picture by Terry Harris.
Sir Ed said: “We want to reform our political system – we think it is broken. Conservatives have corrupted British politics which is why Lib Dems are the champions of political reform and the ones people can trust.”
He predicted east Cambridgeshire District Council was going to be a “very close fight” between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. He was buoyed by reports of discovering “many lifelong Conservatives fed with Conservative control of the both the council and the government and are switching to us”.
It had left his party “increasingly confident” of success next month.
Sir Ed also spoke about a potential congestion charge for Cambridge.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service reporter: “It is clear that the status quo is not an option. The demand for better public transport, cleaner public transport, more affordable public transport, is one that you hear from in many areas across the country.
“We need to deliver, Liberal Democrats have campaigned for that type of approach to public transport for a long time. I was just talking to some of the councillors and council candidates here in East Cambridgeshire, who were saying they represent villages that do not have a bus service, people can not get to church because the bus services are not there, people can not get to hospital.
“There is no doubt there is a massive need for improving public transport, but I think proposals really have to take people with them, and I think it is vital that the local authorities involved listen to the local residents and deal with their concerns.”
Wednesday 12 April 2023. Picture by Terry Harris.
Ed Davey Visits Ely City, Prospects Unwrapped, Ely Wednesday 12 April 2023. Picture by Terry Harris.
Picture by Terry Harris.
Liberal Democrats he said were campaigning on community issues and on simple basics such as emptying the bins.
“People want the council to concentrate on these issues locally where the Conservative record locally is very bad,” he said.
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In east Cambridgeshire, his party was fielding “strong local community champions” and nationally fighting for an improved NHS to get ambulances to arrive on time and for people to get a GP appointment as quickly as possible.
Sir Ed used the example of by election victories at Amersham and North Shropshire as evidence of a breakthrough in “true blue Tory heartlands – and we think we can beat Conservatives here”.
His visit to Prospects Unwrapped prompted an online response by its director.
“I think we will get to meet all the colours of our elected members over the next few weeks. “said Maz Baker.
“Everyone is welcome at Prospects after all, we like a rainbow and we like to connect with the decision makers, budget holders and community stakeholders all helping make our corner of Cambridgeshire all the brighter, better and supported.”
