Lib Dem leader Ed Davey drums at care home in Romsey on campaign tour

Sir Ed was in a buoyant temper as he introduced his action-packed tour of the nation to Romsey on Wednesday.

The Liberal Democrats didn’t win any of Hampshire’s 18 parliamentary constituencies within the 2019 basic election.

Nonetheless, they did ballot second in eight seats and former minister Sir Ed mentioned there had been an awesome response on the doorstep alongside the present marketing campaign path.

He mentioned: “I don’t put a ceiling on our ambitions. We’re doing very well right here in Romsey and North Southampton. Winchester is trying actually good. Locations like Eastleigh as properly and there are different locations the place what we’re discovering on the doorstep is admittedly encouraging.

“In lots of elements of Hampshire individuals realise it’s a battle between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

“Labour aren’t actually an enormous drive in giant elements of Hampshire and what’s completely different from this election to any election I’ve fought is the quantity of people that have at all times voted Conservative saying they aren’t going to do it once more and that’s fairly a seismic change.”

Sir Ed mentioned votes shifting from Conservative to Liberal Democrat may make a “huge distinction” in areas similar to Romsey, Eastleigh and Winchester, that are all at present held by Rishi Sunak’s celebration.

The Liberal Democrats have giant majorities on councils in Winchester and Eastleigh, whereas they’re additionally the most important celebration on Portsmouth Metropolis Council.

Throughout his go to to the Romsey and Southampton North constituency with candidate Geoff Cooper on Wednesday, June 5, Sir Ed took half in music train class drumtastic with residents at Abbotswood Courtroom Care Residence.

The celebration chief was a pure as he joined in a exercise of Queen’s We Will Rock You utilizing drumsticks and a yoga train ball usually present in a fitness center.

Sir Ed, a carer himself for his teenage son, mentioned care was central to the Liberal Democrat manifesto within the election.

“Too many individuals, aged individuals specifically, disabled individuals, should not getting the care they want,” he mentioned.

“It’s an exquisite care dwelling right here and it’s a actually beautiful care they’re getting. It’s nice to see however many individuals don’t [get that].”

Mr Cooper must overturn a ten,000 majority to unseat Conservative Caroline Nokes.

The opposite candidates anticipated to be standing in Romsey and North Southampton are Paul Barrett (Reform UK), Sahrae Cunio (Staff Get together of Britain), Christie Lambert (Labour) and Connor Shaw (Inexperienced)).