Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey visits candidate as party set to take South West Hertfordshire

6 Nov 2026

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The leader of the Liberal Democrats has joined the campaign of the party’s candidate in South West Hertfordshire, as they set their sights on winning the key battleground seat from the Conservatives at the next general election.

Ed Davey visited local campaigner and prospective parliamentary candidate, Matt Sanders at Woodoaks Farm in Rickmansworth on Friday (6 November) - touring the community orchard.

Matt was selected by local Liberal Democrats in June to contest the seat for South West Hertfordshire at the next general election. He lives in Kings Langley and has already been campaigning across the constituency. Matt’s local priorities include:

Securing the vitally needed rebuild of Watford General Hospital
Cutting the cost of living, by raising the personal allowance, cutting fuel duty, and bringing down Hertfordshire tube fares
Protecting our precious environment and green belt

The Blue Wall seat of South West Hertfordshire is one of the party's top targets and will be a direct two-way fight with the Conservatives. At the last General Election the Conservatives held the seat with the Liberal Democrats in second place, just 4,456 votes behind. Labour came third with 9,637 votes. In the most recent YouGov/ Times MRP polling, the Liberal Democrats are shown as the clear challengers to the Conservative Party in the seat, ahead of Reform, Labour and the Greens.

Liberal Democrats have run Three Rivers District Council, which covers the majority of the constituency, continuously since 1994, and in 2025 became the largest party on Hertfordshire County Council. The party also leads a minority administration on Dacorum Borough Council and holds the neighbouring seats of St Albans, Chesham and Amersham, and Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, said:

“It’s great to join Matt Sanders in this beautiful part of the country. I’ve known Matt for years and worked with him to improve children’s education. He is a brilliant campaigner with a proven track record of changing lives for the better.

“Matt will be a fantastic local champion for the people of South West Hertfordshire, who have been let down and taken for granted by the Conservatives for far too long. Only Matt and the Liberal Democrats can beat the Conservatives here, and it’s great to see so many local people getting behind our campaign.”

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South West Hertfordshire, Matt Sanders, said:

“It was brilliant to welcome Ed to South West Hertfordshire and to visit an organisation, Woodoaks Farm, that does so much good work for our community.

“We need a local MP who can actually win change. I’m proud to have helped deliver extra money for local schools - and now I’m fighting to cut bills, rebuild Watford General Hospital, and protect our precious local environment. Only the Liberal Democrats can beat the Conservatives here, and I'm ready to be the strong, local MP South West Hertfordshire deserves.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

A photo from the event can be found here.

Matt Sanders lives in Kings Langley. He is an education expert and campaigner with a track record of delivering change.

As a Special Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister, covering the Department for Education, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Cabinet Office. He played a key role in delivering the Pupil Premium and Universal Free School Meals for Infants. He also served as Chief Education Adviser to New Zealand's Minister of Education and is a Trustee of a national homelessness charity.