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I would like to say how grateful I am to everyone of you who took the trouble to vote Liberal Democrat in our delayed General Election.

Your support increased our share of the vote by 5.5 per cent, enabled us to overtake Labour and I know some people supported a person, not just a party.

Huge thanks must also go to the superb helpers who shoved thousands of leaflets through letterboxes and the people who put up posters in their homes.

And thanks to my family whose support and sacrifices gave me the opportunity to have the privilege of standing for Parliament.

Highlights of the campaign included the visit by leading Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes, who I took to Sherburn to see the doctor’s surgery there. Within 24 hours, Simon had tabled a parliamentary question pressing for action over the desperate state of the surgery building, which is wholly inadequate for its 3,000 patients.

That is the sleeves rolled up approach which Liberal Democrats take in fighting on your behalf.

On the day of the election, I made it to bed at 6.15am, was out of it at 7.15am and that morning was in Pickering at a meeting pressing the case for flood defences.

I did what I have always done – I did what I’d promised, working on behalf of the people in our area. That’s what I will continue to do now.

HOWARD KEAL Malton and Thirsk Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate St Nicholas Street, Norton.