We all remember the ‘Portillo Moment’. The next election could bring about the ‘Hunt Moment’!
For me, standing for parliament is about serving the interests of my local community, my constituency, and my country. That means campaigning hard to share the very best ideas; to fix our broken politics; to think and plan for the long term and to work justly in the pursuit of a liberal, open, tolerant, accountable, internationalist and successful United Kingdom.
That starts here and now in Godalming & Ash - the place and community in which I live and serve as a local councillor and council leader.
Why I can win…
- I ran here in 2019 and achieved one of the largest swings away from Conservatives in the country and have continued to campaign tirelessly.
- My Liberal Democrat team went from zero councillors in 2017 to control of Waverley Borough Council and Godalming Town Council in 2019, both of which I lead.
- We increased our vote share and councillors at every by-election, and overall, in the last local elections in 2023. Our colleagues in Guildford have done the same.
- The new constituency contains solidly Lib Dem areas such as Godalming, Cranleigh and Ash. It also contains areas traditionally thought to be solidly Conservative, which now have Liberal Democrat councillors (such as Shalford, Chiddingfold, Elstead and Tillingbourne).
- Jeremy Hunt says lots of good things in public but continues to vote very differently in parliament - for example, he has spoken against fracking and sewage dumping in public but, when given the opportunity, has not voted to ban or restrict such practices.
- Over 2,500 direct contacts with voters in Godalming and Ash between Jan and April 2024 have shown his voter base evaporating
- Godalming and Ash residents are desperate for a fresh start and proper representation in parliament.
I have an amazing campaign team to help me beat Jeremy Hunt; all we need to make this happen is your help in financing my campaign.
The polls show that we can win. You might have read in the press that Mr Hunt has funnelled over £100,000 of his own money into his campaign. Godalming & Ash might seem like a rich, leafy part of Surrey from a distance, but most people (including me) can only dream of being able to throw such resources at our campaign.
If we are going to make those polls a reality, I need your help!
Wherever you are in the country, you can be a part of nationally significant change – you can play your part in unseating the Chancellor and electing a progressive, hard working, Liberal Democrat MP!
Thank you!
Paul Follows
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Published and promoted by Phil Buckley on behalf of Paul Follows (Liberal Democrats) all at The Old Mission Hall, 53a Woking Road, Guildford, GU1 1QD.
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