Dr Sarah Wollaston, MP for Totnes, has today joined the Liberal Democrats, becoming the party's 14^th MP in the House of Commons and further strengthening the Lib Dems in their fight against Brexit.

Sarah's decision to join came after discussions with the party nationally and locally, about how best to stop the Government's disastrous No Deal Brexit strategy. She has held the Totnes seat since 2010.

We won!! In the early hours of the 2nd August, the Lib Dems won the Brecon & Radnorshire by-election with a majority of over 1,400 votes. The election of Jane Dodds cuts the Government's overall majority to one and brings closer the the prospect of a Government defeat on its catastrophic Brexit policy, and either a People's Vote or a general election - or both.

The Liberal Democrats won two seats out of six in the South West region in the European Elections, counted on Sunday night.

Totnes based Caroline Voaden and former Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood were elected to represent SW England and Gibraltar with a 23% share of the vote.

Caroline and Martin are now two of 16 Liberal Democrat MEPs heading for Brussels - the biggest ever delegation of Lib Dem MEPs.

The 23rd May is upon us and voting in the EU elections will commence very soon. The polls still show the Lib Dems ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. Only the Brexit Party are ahead of us in the polls.

In the South West, we look very likely to get a Lib Dem MEP elected. It looks very possible that we can get a second Lib Dem MEP elected provided remain voters come out and vote Lib Dem.

Caroline Voaden has continued working hard on the campaign trail this week, with a day in Gibraltar. The South West region in the EU elections covers a huge area stretching from Swindon to Gibraltar. Caroline was joined by Sir Vince Cable and Sir Graham Watson and spent the day speaking with Gibraltar's environmental action group, meeting with the cross-border business group and meeting Gibraltar's Chief Minister.

Enough is enough.

This country is better than Brexit.

The Liberal Democrats demand better than the rise of nationalistic and divisive politics which we've seen since the referendum.

We don't think that you and your family should bear the brunt of Brexit when your weekly shop gets more expensive, you can't get the medication you need from the NHS, or our public services are slashed because we're poorer as a country.

Yesterday's local elections have been a national success for the Liberal Democrats, and not before time! We are finally back on the map.

The latest reported number of seats gained by the Lib Dems is in excess of 700 across the country. I am delighted to report that the South Hams didn't buck the current political trend in yesterday's elections. The Lib Dems made several gains at SHDC.
The following seats were gained; Kingsbridge (Denise O'Callaghan and Susie Jackson); Ivybridge East (Vic Abbott); Loddiswell and Aveton Gifford (Kate Kemp); West Dart (John McKay); South Brent (Guy Pannell). A second seat was gained in Newton & Yealmpton (Dan Thomas now stands with Keith Baldry). Julian Brazil retained Stokenham and John Birch retained a seat in Totnes.
So many of our other candidates came very close, with Simon Rake missing out on Blackawton & Stoke Fleming by just 10 votes.
We now have control of 10 seats on SHDC. In addition, 2 independent candidates were elected and 3 Green candidates. No Labour candidates were elected.
So although the Conservatives have retained overall control of SHDC, it is now by the smallest of margins.

Sir Vince Cable has called every vote for the Lib Dems in the local elections a "vote for stopping Brexit." With this in mind, the successes in the local elections will provide a perfect springboard for the European Election campaign. We are commencing our campaign next week, with canvassing and leafleting for our incredible candidate, Caroline Voaden across the district. But for now, I think we all deserve a few days off over the bank holiday!!