Stroud Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrats hit highest ever membership on eve of local elections

The Liberal Democrats have hit their highest ever number of members, eclipsing the high watermark of 101,768 set in 1994.
The landmark comes as Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron heads to Oxford to rally activists for the party's final push of the local election campaign.

More than 14,000 new members have joined the Liberal Democrats in the two weeks since the General Election was called. More than 50,000 members have joined since last year's European referendum and nearly 70,000 since the 2015 General Election.

Tim Farron pledged to build the party to 100,000 members by the end of the parliament as a key pledge during his 2015 leadership campaign - but at that point everyone expected the end of the parliament to be 2020.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "We are going into these local elections bigger than ever before, with a clear message and a growing sense of momentum.

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"In many of the counties where these elections are taking place it is the Liberal Democrats who are the main challengers to the Conservatives. Liberal Democrat councillors are the strong opposition to the Conservatives across the country, standing up to them on cuts to schools and elderly care.

"You don't need to agree with us on everything to agree that Britain needs a strong opposition to fight for you and your communities against Tory cuts to our schools, our NHS and our social care services. In county halls just as in Westminster, Liberal Democrats are that strong opposition that Britain needs."

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