As you will know by now, I didn’t win the election last week.  Actually that is putting it mildly, it was a bit of a disaster for us here in Bassetlaw as it was for Liberal Democrats across the UK.

However, although we are chasten at the verdict of the electorate, we are not giving up.  Bassetlaw and the country need a strong Liberal voice in politics.   A voice that will stand up for individual freedom, a voice that hold those in power to account, a voice that will speak up for those “enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity”.

Locally, we will start by focusing on a number of campaigns and issues:

Fracking – The local Lib Dems are still implacably opposed to Fracking and will now become more actively involved in the campaign to stop the proposed developments in Misson.  (Please join the Misson Frack Free Parade on Sunday May 31^st) and elsewhere in Bassetlaw.

Town Councils for Worksop & Retford – we will continue to campaign for a greater say for local people in both towns in the running of their community

Incinerators – we will maintain our opposition to building incinerators in Bassetlaw and work with groups that are already campaigning on this issue

Empty Houses – Labour claimed they were starting to deal with the empty houses around Bassetlaw, 3 years after we originally raised the issue with the Council.  We will make sure that their fine words amount to more than just slogans on leaflets.

Nationally, we can already see moves by the new Tory-only Government to revive the Snooper’s Charter, to do away with teaching assistants, to scrap housing benefit for 18 to 21 year olds, (all policies that were blocked by the Coalition), so we can see that times will be tough for .those already at most risk.  While we may not have many MPs in Parliament, you can be sure it will be the Lib Dems who will be leading the opposition to these and other regressive moves by the my government.

What can you do to help?  As we lost our deposit at the election, we are now very short of money to support these campaigns so any donations will be most welcome.  You can either send them to me (cheques made out to BASSETLAW & SHERWOOD LIBERAL DEMOCRATS) at the address below & I will make sure they get used to good effect

More than that, to show your support for the party locally and nationally, you can do what thousands of others have done in the last 2 days, join the Lib Dems.  You can join here and ass an added bonus, if you join in the next couple of week (before nominations close) you will get a chance to vote on who will be the next leader of the party.

In the weeks & months to come, we will also need people who will help prepare & deliver leaflets, surveys & newsletters so any help you can give on that front will also be more than welcome.

We may be battered, but we are unbowed.  We have suffered a terrible blow but we have not been killed off.  The Liberal Democrats will survive, both here in Bassetlaw and across the country.  Please join us and be part of the revival.

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