Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey gives pep talk to party members as they look to oust Nadhim Zahawi at general election

During the whistlestop visit he took time to deliver a pep talk to party members and councillors gathered outside the district council offices at Elizabeth House on Church Street.

Believing the Lib Dems have a real chance of winning the Stratford seat, Sir Ed addressed the group: “We have a once in a generation opportunity, it will probably be another 20 or 30 years until we get the chance again. It means we will have to work hard in the next weeks and months to make the most of the opportunity – I’m afraid it means you’ll have to do even more canvassing. Fortunately, you’ve proved yourselves a very capable team, we’ve got some tremendous people behind you – and a brilliant candidate. I think this is an opportunity we’ve just got to take. If we can win here we can rebuild the party at Westminster and across the country.”

Many, including former district council leader Tony Jefferson, who was ousted in last May’s local elections, blamed MP Nadhim Zahawi’s damaged reputation following the scandal surrounding his tax affairs for local voter disillusionment with the Conservatives.

Capitalising on the situation, Sir Ed joked: “The Tories have left the Lib Dems a few presents locally. They really mucked things up, make sure you tell voters that.”

At this point a delighted supporter interjected: “We have Nadhim – he’s our secret weapon!”

Meanwhile the ‘Nadhim factor’ has led to a fresh call for political parties of various hues to unite in a bid to make sure that Mr Zahawi doesn’t get back in for a fifth term, having first gained the seat in 2010.

This week campaigners from Stratford Compass called on Labour, Lib Dems and Green politicians in the constituency to get behind one candidate at the general election to elect an MP with “progressive values and views”.

“The sitting MP clearly isn’t a progressive,” said Geri Hunting of Compass, who campaign to replace the present first-past-the-post voting system with a proportional representation one.

“It is time for the progressives to have honest conversations, stop looking backwards, and start looking forward, working together to focus on getting what we all want – an MP with integrity who will serve all consistently and properly.”

Referring to the Warwickshire police and crime commissioner election that saw Philip Seccombe win for the Tories with a narrow margin (see page 4), Mrs Hunting continued: “Last year’s local elections showed a collapse in Conservative support. We can expect the Tory vote at the general election will also collapse, with the progressive vote outnumbering the Tory vote. As in the PCC elections, we are in danger of splitting the progressive vote and allowing a Conservative to get in on a minority vote.”

She continued: “In too many seats, progressives are still competing with one another, which is disastrous for progressive politics. We must not let this happen again in Stratford. We need to change the voting system – the glue that holds our rotten, outdated politics together. It’s too late for the coming general election but we can begin the process now by voting tactically and ensuring the candidate we vote for is pro electoral reform and PR.”

Other candidates standing in Stratford so far include Sey Agboola for Labour and James Crocker for Reform UK.

Nonetheless Sir Ed was buoyant about his party’s prospects in the general election.

He told the Herald: “This isn’t the first time I’ve been to Stratford to support Manuela and the local team, because you really sense the momentum behind the Liberal Democrats here. I think that people who might have voted Green or Labour realise their parties can’t win and so are getting behind us, and they like what Manuela and the team have been saying. Whether that’s on the health service, the cost of living, the environment and sewage issues. Our campaign themes are getting a positive reaction, and it looks like we’re persuading people that we are the ones to get rid of the Conservatives and getting Nadhim Zahawi to go into retirement.”

Standing by the leader, Manuela said she offered an alternative to Mr Zahawi: “What I can be for the constituents is the community voice. I will stand up for residents and local businesses with passion and never ever take them for granted.”

Continuing the theme, Sir Ed said: “I think one thing we see from Liberal Democrat councillors is you have people that want to represent their local community, like Manuela does. You can’t just go to Westminster and forget Stratford exists. You need to be part of it and take that voice to parliament.”

At the moment it is unclear when the general election will be, with pundits saying summer – it has to be before 28th January.

“We wanted a general election on 2nd May to coincide with the local elections because we’ve been picking up from people across the country that they’re fed up of the Conservatives and desperate for an election,” commented Sir Ed. “I’ve been picking up from business the uncertainty undermining investment, and to turn our economy around there needs to be an election as soon as possible.

“I have a real fear that Rishi Sunak is just clinging on, desperately hoping something is going to turn up, but I think people have had enough of the Conservatives not listening – on the NHS, the cost of living and environment.”

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