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Local News

Lib Dem Landslide in Lovelace by-election

Liberal Democrat Colin Cross stormed to victory in Thursday's by-election for Lovelace ward that includes Ripley, Wisley and Ockham. Lovelace is usually one of the safest Conservative wards in Guildford Borough Council, it had not been held by a Lib Dem Councillor since the re-organisation of Guildford Borough in 1974. Full result Colin Cross (Lib Dem) 555 Ben Paton (Conservative) 225 David Sheppard (UKIP) 63 Robin Woof (Labour) 32 Colin Cross said: "I honestly can't thank everyone enough for all the efforts they put in to the campaign, and thank you to everyone who voted for me. I look forward to joining the Lib Dem team on the Council, where I will continue to work hard for the residents of Ripley, Ockham and Wisley." Lib Dem Group Leader on Woking Borough Council, Councillor Will Forster added: "It's an astounding result for Colin Cross and the local Lib Dems. The result clearly shows just how unhappy local residents are with the behaviour of the Conservatives who seem intent on sacrificing our Green Belt

26 Sep 2014
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Fewer people claiming JSA in Woking is no accident

Woking Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, Chris Took has called the positive labour market figures published on 17th September "no accident" and said Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government were delivering the recovery fairly. Official figures show the number of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance in Woking fell in the three months to the end of July. While total UK unemployment fell 146,000 to 2.02 million with the unemployment rate falling to 6.2% - its lowest since the last full quarter in 2008. Chris Took said: "The Liberal Democrats have taken steps to ensure our labour market is fair and flexible - delivering opportunities for everyone and preventing exploitation of the most vulnerable. The employment growth that we are now witnessing is one of this Government's key achievements." The Office for National Statistics figures also showed that the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance nationally in August fell to 37,200 to 966,500. The average weekely earnings, excluding bonuses

20 Sep 2014
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Woking infants get free school meals!

More than 37,500 children in Surrey and 1.5 million infants across the country are now benefiting from a free school meal. Every child in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools are now able to sit down to a free school lunch, saving parents who currently pay for a school lunch over £400 a year per child. The policy, unveiled by the Liberal Democrats at their 2014 Spring Conference, was based on clear evidence from a series of pilots that started in 2009 and ran for 2 years. The pilot schemes revealed that where children have been given a free school dinner, students were academically months ahead of their peers elsewhere and more likely to eat vegetables at lunchtime instead of less healthy food like crisps. To ensure schools have the capacity to provide the extra meals the government has provided £150 million to help schools expand their kitchen and dining facilities, where needed. Speaking about the change, Woking Liberal Democrats Parliamentary spokesman Chris Took said: "We know, from countl

7 Sep 2014
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Liam and Will

New Lib Dem Leadership in Woking

Councillor Will Forster has been elected as the new Group Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Woking Borough Council, and Councillor Liam Lyons has been elected to serve as their new Deputy Leader.

5 Jun 2014
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Poor repairs on Bampton Way

After promising to monitor the repair of Bampton Way in his last Focus newsletter, Denzil was disappointed to find that only half the road had been repaired when he visited the area in early March.

15 May 2014
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National Party News

Transgender Awareness Week
LGBT+ Liberal Democrats

Trans Awareness Week

November 13−19 2025 marks Trans Awareness Week. It is a time to listen to and act on the voices of transgender and non-binary people, celebrate their contributions and resilience, and recognise the barriers they continue to face.

13 Nov 2025
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A women in a hijab against a blurred background with the words Islamophobia Awareness Month

Islamophobia Awareness Month

November marks Islamophobia Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the experiences of Muslim communities in the UK and to stand with them against prejudice, discrimination and hatred.

6 Nov 2025
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Four women in Sudan, holding agricultural tools
International Affairs

Defending Women’s Rights Across the Globe

Women’s rights around the world are under attack, with authoritarianism on the rise and deep cuts to UK aid undermining decades of progress. Defending women's rights must be a top priority and the UK must act boldly.

CM
23 Sep 2025
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