Achievements as Party Leader

Presided over recovery of the party from the elections of 2015 – 2017. The national overall support was around 7% in 2017 and rose to 21% when I left office in 2019.

Led the party through 2 rounds of local elections which produced 75 net gains in seats in 2018, and 705 net gains in seats in 2019, including winning many councils around the country.

Led the party into the European elections in 2019, when the Lib Dems increased their numbers from 1 MEP to 16 MEPs.

Made a major push to improve diversity of the party

Achievements in government

Funded new programmes
for the mentally ill
in Adult Colleges
like RACC.

Industrial Strategy: strong support for key British industries like cars, aerospace and pharmaceuticals as well as creative industries and professional services.


Properly funding science and innovation leading to substantial expansion at NPL and other local research centres.

Set up two new state banks to support small business (the British Business Bank) and ‘green’ investments (the Green Investment Bank, now being sold).

Re-launched apprenticeships leading to big expansion and especially higher apprenticeships.

Saved and modernised Post Office Network (no local closures since 2010).

Funded new programmes for the mentally ill in Adult Colleges like RACC.

Funding for Further Education capital (Tertiary College now being rebuilt and redeveloped).

Oversaw bank reform including ‘ringfencing’ and splitting the big banks.

Legislation to protect pubs from pubcos and small suppliers from supermarket bullying.

Tighter controls on executive pay awards.

Shared parental leave.

Lots more women on boards, at top of companies (very much my personal crusade).

Putting universities on good financial footing –leading to expansion at St Mary’s.

Achievements as MP

Successful campaign to
extend breast cancer
screening and improve
cervical and bowel
cancer screening.

Led fight for local hospitals including saving and rebuilding the West Mddx; saving Teddington Memorial Hospital; and fighting threatened closures at Kingston.


Championed local schools and the Tertiary College: securing capital funding and blocking damaging funding formula in government (now being introduced by Tories).

Set up and chaired All-party Police Group.

Active campaigner on aircraft noise, night flights and airport expansion from Terminal 5 to today.

Successful campaign for longer trains and reopening Eurostar terminal (work now underway) and modernisation of Whitton Station.

Successful campaign to get Mogden covered, reducing noxious smells.

Successful campaign to extend breast cancer screening and improve cervical and bowel cancer screening.

Successful campaign to reduce overcrowding at Feltham Young Offenders.

Campaigns and debates on: houseboat residents; Alzheimers' drugs, diabetic pens, hearing aids, children's hospices; mobile phone masts.