Liberal Democrats Hail Local Euro Result as Best of the Mainstream Parties

7.28.24pm GMT Mon 14th Jun 2004

Good result for Lib Dems

The European Parliament election result across the South East region showed that the Liberal Democrats are the only mainstream political party picking up support, said Chris Huhne MEP, the leading Liberal Democrat elected last night.

Respected Lib Dem MEPs Chris Huhne and Emma Nicholson were safely re-elected, whilst both the Tories and Labour lost a sitting MEP each and the Greens only just held onto the their only seat. The Lib Dems not only out polled Labour in the South East region but have now also got more MEPs.

'This is a great springboard for an increased number of Liberal Democrat MPs at the general election' said Mr Huhne.

Mr Huhne pointed to the increase in support for the Liberal Democrats as the reason why the party had held its two MEPs in the region even though many had expected that the overall cut in the total would lead to a cut in the number of Liberal Democrat MEPs.

'And nationally, the increase in Liberal Democrat support has delivered an MEP in the North East - our first ever - and a second MEP in the North West. Moreover, Liberal Democrats elsewhere in Europe have been performing strongly so that the overall group will be even larger, and with a stronger grip on the balance of power in the parliament' said Mr Huhne.

'As during the last parliament, we will be able to deliver reform for British people that the other parties cannot. People responded well to our message that we should change Europe, not chuck it' said Mr Huhne.

Brighton & Hove Lib Dem Leader, Councillor Paul Elgood added: 'This is a great result for us locally, we held our own whilst other parties struggled. We have two first class MEPs safely re-elected, that is good news for Brighton & Hove.'