Excellent news. Now let’s win this. www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/2545583...

🚀 Thank you so much for your support @dominicmartin.bsky.social ! 👉 If you'd like to join Dominic and support my VP campaign sign up here forms.gle/5p9NqKYYE5U4... 🔶 Find out more here www.victoria4vp.com

A year ago today, East Hants Liberal Democrats came within a whisker of overturning a 20,000 Conservative majority in East Hampshire. I was honoured to be the candidate that day, supported by a brilliant team of hard-working activists. What fabulous memories!

Sunday morning inspiration!

Lib Dem gains currently represent 10% of all contests, making it their best local elections year by this metric since 1993.

After media reports alleging expensive missteps in the run up to SWR’s nationalisation, I, and my fellow Lib Dem MPs whose constituencies are served by SWR, have written to the Transport Sec asking for clarification.

(1/2) Organised criminal gangs are increasingly brazen when it comes to Rural Crime. Lucrative crimes such as betting proceeds from hare coursing and rampant equipment theft are increasingly common, and farmers in North East Hampshire are telling me they are receiving threats from perpetrators.

"Companies House state that the size of fines is calculated based on the council tax band of the property with penalties ranging between £10,000 and £50,000 per property. Since the introduction of the register, just £700,000 has been collected from a total £22.99mn levied in fines."

With the cancellation of local elections, this is your best chance to have your voice heard on what you want our county's political future to look like. More information about this consultation can be found here: bit.ly/4bgzTOC You can answer the online survey here: bit.ly/4bfXYFe

(2/2) After the Family Farm Tax and closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, farmers are at risk. Farmers have been let down and our environment and food security will suffer as a result. This isn't acceptable, and I'll continue to push for better policies for our rural communities.

The last Conservative Government produced few positives. But the cross-party commitment to Net Zero by 2050 was a rare exception. Today’s announcement by Kemi Badenoch is a remarkable example of a party trashing one of the few parts of its legacy that voters actually support. (1/3)

(2/2) Our beautiful Hampshire countryside is most notable for being the home of literary luminary Jane Austen, whose 250th anniversary we also celebrate this year. As a fan of her work, I was proud to pay tribute to Austen's enduring legacy during the Commons' debate on International Women's Day.

The delay to Basingstoke Hospital's rebuild is unacceptable, and will see taxpayers pay almost as much on maintenance for the current hospital as they will on building the new hospital. I asked the Prime Minister to explain the logic in making taxpayers pay twice for this delay:

It’s disgraceful that the voters of Hampshire have been denied the opportunity to hold the Conservative County Council to account.

My statement following today's announcement of the cancellation of Hampshire County Council's elections.

Today, Parliament will again debate the Water Special Measures Bill. I welcome the measures, but they don't go far enough. I wrote to the Minister for Water and Flooding to call, once again, for special protection for our chalk stream rivers which are severely threatened by pollution and sewage.

Conservative MPs stood on the promise of delivering new hospitals, including one for Hampshire, and it turned out there was never any funding and it was just false promises. with the hospitals programme now delayed, it is more urgent than ever to increase capacity by fixing social care.

Lib Dem MP calls on the government to sustainably fund hospices

Powerful speech by @keithhouse.bsky.social at the Extraordinary Meeting of Hampshire County Council this morning. Lib Dems in Hants are open to greater devolution, sceptical about local govt. reform proposals and against postponing scheduled elections in May for a year.

Winchester’s Hospital was forced to turn away new patients earlier this winter after running out of beds and now it's happened again! We need to winterproof the NHS to ensure this doesn't keep happening. #NHS youtube.com/shorts/3bmpe...

I'm normally in the 'yes, polls early in a Parliament are useful and insightful' camp, but a bit baffled by @moreincommonuk.bsky.social publishing an MRP complete with lots of detail about projected seats, and yet also this caveat about... a major factor that impacts seats.

What next for the Lib Dems? I've done a pamphlet with @lintywilliams.bsky.social that has a go at throwing some evidence at answering that question, to contribute to the party's next strategy process and policy review: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Beds at #Winchester Hospital are full and attendance at the emergency department is extremely high, which means there is currently no capacity to admit further patients needing care. We've been warning about the risks over winter time for years and crises like this are still happening.

Important intervention by Alistair Carmichael MP on the “family farm tax. Room for a compromise in which family farms are protected while non-farmers using land purchases as an inheritance tax loophole still have to pay?

BREAKING - it's official - Margaret Hodge to be new Anti-Corruption champion. This is very exciting - a strong challenge role and we look forward to working with her on developing a really ambitious Anti-Corruption Strategy. questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...

On 20 November, my colleague @dannychambers.bsky.social initiated an important parliamentary debate on healthcare in Hampshire. During the debate, Health Minister @gwynnemp.bsky.social offered to work on a cross-party basis on ways to improve primary and secondary healthcare provision in Hampshire.

🚨 🗣️ The first of our party conference events is this Sunday 15 Sept at the @libdems.bsky.social. Join @edwardlucas.bsky.social, Lord Wallace, Dr Susan Hawley, Margot Mollat and @dominicmartin.bsky.social at 11:30am if you're @ Brighton! ukanticorruptioncoalition.org/events/libdem-dirty-money-event

A brief personal announcement. I am delighted to have been selected as Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for East Hampshire. More details in this article which appeared in the local press today. Follow me on @DominicMartinLD on Twitter/X for campaign updates.