10 Most Recent Press Articles

Hughes News - March 2008 - Simon Hughes' article for Liberal Democrat News

Written by Simon Hughes MP, Liberal Democrat Federal Party President on Wed 5th Mar 2008

Twenty-five years in Westminster certainly gives plenty of opportunity to reflect - and to say thank you. Thank you, first, to all those who encouraged me to put my name forward as a candidate and who helped me to be selected in Bermondsey in 1982. Thank you also to the thousands who helped in the Bermondsey by-election - especially Peter Bray, Ron Tindall, Andy Ellis, David Rebak but also the many others who canvassed through wet winter evenings and manned polling stations. Thanks to the thousands of local residents who were willing to see if I could do the job and who have kept their faith through six further elections. Thanks too to all those local party officers, agents and organisers over the years, to the wonderful succession of people who have worked with me in my constituency and in Westminster, and to the councillors who took us from our first council win in 1983 to being the largest party in our borough in 2002. Thanks to the many others who have helped along the way, to those who have sent their congratulations and last but not least my family and friends - without whom none of this would have been possible. Winning any election is exciting, but winning political by-elections has a particular excitement, and over twenty-five years, my thanks go to Chris Rennard and Hilary Stephenson who have ensured so many Liberal Democrat successes in elections over many years.