New Year's Message

12.58.41am GMT Fri 30th Dec 2005

As 2005 draws to a close, the Liberal Democrats look back on another successful year both nationally and here in Ealing.

Following May's General Election, the Lib Dems now have the largest group of MPs in the history of the party with gains all over Great Britain - both rural and urban, in the north and south of England, in Scotland and in Wales. In London, the Lib Dems now have their 8th MP following the election of Lynne Featherstone in Hornsey and Wood Green.

Locally, the party made tremendous ground with large increases in the share of the vote in Ealing North and Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush. However, the biggest success in Ealing came in the constituency of Ealing Southall where the Lib Dems overtook the Tories to finish second, proving that the Liberal Democrats really are now the Real Alternative to the Labour party in our area.

However, there is much still to do to challenge Labour run Ealing Council and the Lib Dems will not be resting on our laurels. Next year we have all out local elections in Ealing and the Lib Dems will be aiming to capitalise on the progress we have made in the General Election.

We would like to finish our New Year's message by thanking all our voters and our supporters for all their support this year and to ask that you continue to support us in building the Liberal Democrats in our area in 2006 and beyond.

Happy New Year to you all from Ealing Liberal Democrats.