PRESS RELEASE: Shock by-election win paves way for Lib Dem gain in Guildford constituency

The Liberal Democrats are on track to win seats across the country at the next General Election, including Guildford constituency, following their historic by-election victory overnight.

The Liberal Democrats won the once safe Conservative seat of North Shropshire, overturning the Conservatives majority of almost 23,000 votes. It is the second parliamentary by-election the Liberal Democrats have won against the Conservatives this year, following the Chesham and Amersham victory in the summer.

Across Guildford, Cranleigh and the surrounding area, the Liberal Democrats only need a 2.84% swing to gain the marginal Conservative-held constituency of Guildford.

Guildford's Liberal Democrats have a strong record of success. In the Surrey County Council elections this year, the Liberal Democrats held their three existing seats, gained another three across Guildford constituency and held their Friary and St Nicolas Borough seat for which there was a by-election alongside the county elections. In 2019 the Liberal Democrat vote share surged resulting in huge Conservative losses and the Liberal Democrats taking on the leadership of Guildford Borough Council as part of a shared administration.

Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat candidate for Guildford and Cranleigh, believes the party's win in the North Shropshire by-election could pave the way for a win in this constituency at the next General Election.

She said:

"We saw last night in North Shropshire that people are fed up with being ignored and taken for granted by the Conservative party.

"In Guildford and Cranleigh, just like North Shropshire, voters can back the Liberal Democrats to send Boris Johnson's Conservatives a message.

"If we can win in North Shropshire, then we can win here. It is clear it will be a two-horse race again between the hard-working local Lib Dems and an out-of-touch Conservative candidate.

"I have been swamped by messages from local people who are appalled by Boris Johnson's behaviour over alleged illegal parties under his own roof and that it is time for a change in Westminster.

"The Liberal Democrats believe people deserve a fair deal where everyone plays by the same rules - including those in Downing Street. We will deliver that fair deal with good schools, safe streets and high-quality healthcare as well as fighting to end violence against all women and girls and the climate change disaster."

ENDS