Liberal Democrats Break Through in Sevenoaks

Richard Streatfeild's win in Sevenoaks Town Division on Thursday gives Sevenoaks its first Liberal Democrat County Councillor in 24 years.

In a poll of over 6,300 votes, Richard came 179 ahead of sitting Conservative Councillor Crabtree. Every vote was crucial. Richard and his team ran an effective campaign based on asking people across Sevenoaks what they most wanted to make the town a better place to live. Hundreds of residents responded with ideas.

During the campaign, Liberal Democrats contacted thousands of people, on doorsteps, online, and by phone. In addition to the election campaign Lib Dems ran two online conferences including all parties - one on boosting Sevenoaks Town Centre and another on getting Sevenoaks to Zero Carbon. They encouraged hundreds more people to develop and comment on ideas for the future.

The key theme of Richard's campaign was involving and empowering local people to make Sevenoaks the best, most sustainable market town it can be. The response from residents - across the political spectrum - was amazing.

Richard says "I am very pleased and humbled to have been trusted with the task of representing Sevenoaks Town. The real work starts now to improve lives together with everyone in Sevenoaks".

Across the District, Liberal Democrats increased their vote by over 1100 votes, closing the gap on the Conservatives who vote only rose by 300 in a much higher overall turnout. The Lib Dem vote rose from 15% of the District total in 2017 to 18% this time, while Labour fell to fourth place behind the Greens in third.

The results show that Liberal Democrats, where they are organised and work hard, can mount a challenge to the Tories in Sevenoaks. No other party can get within 1000 votes of doing this in any County Division.

Richard and the Liberal Democrats are now looking to work with people in Sevenoaks - of all parties and none - to make our Town and District a better place. The election has shown that people have a real appetite to make Sevenoaks more attractive, greener, to look after it as well as we can and to invest more in our young people.

In addition to the County result, Liberal Democrats also scored well in the Brasted, Chevening and Sundridge District by-election. After no Lib Dem candidate in 2019, Sandra Robinson polled 704 votes against the Conservatives 1051, the highest achieved by any opposition party in the ward for at least 20 years. In the Sevenoaks West County contest in the same area, Tom Mackay increased the Lib Dem vote by over 400 to 1135, as much as Greens and Labour combined.

Sevenoaks Liberal Democrats May 8th 2021