Thank you to everyone who voted on Thursday, last week. Thursday’s General Election saw a record number of Liberal Democrat MPs elected, and we have a total of 72 MPs. There are now four Liberal Democrat MPs in the Midlands. Helen Morgan retained North Shropshire, which we won in the by-election in 2021, with an increased majority of 15,000, and we won seats in Stratford-upon-Avon, Tewkesbury, and Cheltenham. Well done all!

First of all, a big thank you to our three candidates in Sandwell for standing and giving people the option to vote Liberal Democrat. So thank you, Parmjit Singh Gill in West Bromwich, Mark Rochell in Tipton & Wednesbury, and Oliver Patrick in Smethwick.

Sadly, there was a 7% decline in voter turnout from 64% to 57% across the West Midlands, and in Sandwell all three constituencies turnout was below 50%, with 43% turnout for Tipton & Wednesbury, 48% in Smethwick, and 49% in West Bromwich. We think this was due to the predictions of a Labour landslide and an unfair voting system that means many peoples’ vote do not count.