I was re-elected to Beverley Town Council in the May 2023 local elections. A big thankyou to all those who voted for me.

I also ran as a candidate for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, in the Cottingham North ward, and with my colleague Phil Redshaw we fought a positive campaign for the Liberal Democrats.

The campaign was very hard work involving the delivery of many thousands of leaflets. Sometimes I walked for more than 10miles.

It became clear that my not resigning in Cottingham was an issue for many people, though I tried to persuade them that I could and would fight for a fair deal for all East Riding communities.

There were many differing areas of the Cottingham North Ward with disparities of income and points of view. As liberal Democrats we try to listen to everyone. No one’s voice is more entitled to be heard than anyone else.

Here I am delivering some last-minute polling day leaflets on the Poppy Fields housing estate in Cottingham North.

And so it came to polling day. Here I am in my rosette at the leisure centre in Haltemprice, waiting nervously for the result.

In the end I lost – i.e. came third – by 13 votes. That’s politics. My colleague Phil Redshaw and Duke, the Labour candidate, were the two elected councillors for Cottingham North.

However I was successful in being elected to Beverley Town Council, and I will continue to be part of the Lib Dem team in Beverley making a difference!