Hemel Lib Dems Now Main Challengers to Tories

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th Jun 2009

Hemel Liberal Democrats are having a double celebration after excellent county council election results.

Not only was Ron Tindall elected as the party's first ever county councillor, in St Paul's Division, but the Lib Dems also moved ahead of Labour overall.

Back in 2005, in the six divisions which are entirely in Hemel, Labour came top of the poll. In 2009, they have slumped to third place. Commenting on these results, Dr Richard Grayson, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate in Hemel:

We now know that at the general election, there will be a clear choice between myself and the sitting Tory MP. We are now the main challengers in Hemel.

We are the official opposition on both Dacorum Borough Council and Herts County Council, and have more votes than Labour across the Hemel area.

Labour is finished in Hemel with no county councillors whatsoever. Across Herts, Labour have just 3 county councillors compared to 17 for the Liberal Democrats.

Dr Grayson added:

Ron Tindall as a winning candidate, all our other candidates, and Lloyd Harris as election agent, deserve big congratulations for these great results.