Sue Doughty poised to hold seat with increasing majority

1.30.39pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 5th Apr 2005

As the general election campaign begins Sue Doughty, Lib Dem MP for Guildford said: "I'm really looking forward to the campaign. Lib Dems are set to take more seats from both Labour and Tories as people are switching to a party with clear policies, led by concern for the citizens of this country and not just party politics."

Sue, who won the Guildford seat in a historic victory has won local hearts with her concern about problems in the community, together with her outstanding work on the environment. She added "It is vital that we work to ensure that the NHS is world class, with doctors and nurses able to concentrate on patients. My work with the Royal Surrey Hospital, with the Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust, and with the mental health services have shown me what we need to do to make a difference to people's lives. We mustn't allow the service to be dismantled. Our policies for families, for older people and for students are based on the reality of every day life and focus on decent treatment for all. But we also need to make sure that our schools are allowed to thrive, not thrown onto the heap of privatisation. And we must make sure that Blair never wages war again based on a false prospectus.

"Local people have a clear choice - a party who would cut local services and be totally unaccountable economically or an MP who will really stand up for local schools, hospitals and the community. With the Tories almost wiped out in Scotland, in Wales and in the metropolitan areas they cannot form a government. The Lib Dems will be the real opposition in the next Parliament."