DR MANUELA Perteghella is out door knocking in Studley, and the response is overwhelmingly positive.
Despite a bitingly cold wind, people are happy to stand and chat to the Liberal Democrat candidate aiming to unseat Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi at the next General Election.
It’s a good time to be out canvassing support; despite a majority of nearly 20,000 from the last election, Mr Zahawi was sacked by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after he was found to have committed a ‘serious breach’ of the Ministerial Code over his tax affairs.
Then at the local elections the Liberal Democrats, for the first time ever, gained overall control of Stratford-upon-District Council.
And that disillusionment with the blunders of the current Conservative Government continues to gnaw at their election prospects.
It’s something Dr Perteghella is quick to point out on the doorstep: “We want to bring a sense of fairness and empowerment back to people,” she said.
“We can see that at a national level the impact of this government on business, education, and of course the NHS.
“Local services have been cut to the bone.
“We in the Liberal Democrats are offering a sensible costed programme which will put people first.
“We are offering policies that will make a positive difference to ordinary people’s lives.”
And on the doorstep, residents like what they are hearing – here’s comments from just three in Studley:
“The Tories haven’t done very well, have they? So yes, I’ll be voting for you”.
“I like the personal approach of the Lib Dems – You can count on my vote”.
“I’ve voted Tory all my life, but this lot aren’t the party of old, so yes, I’m leaning more and more towards your party”.
Manuela Perteghella is originally from Rome, but came to Britain 30 years ago and has been here ever since.
A PhD, she’s married with three children and lives in Welford on Avon, which she represents as a district councillor.
She’s passionate about fighting for the NHS, takes aim at water companies for dumping sewage in our waterways, and demands a fairer deal for local services.
Selected by the Lib Dems back in February 2022 to fight for the Stratford seat, she feels now is her time.
“I’m not someone who has just been selected, we’ve been going around the district and the message is clear – voters are fed up and disillusioned by the Tories and they no longer have loyalty towards the party, instead, they are turning to us, the Liberal Democrats, as we offer hope for a better outcome for all.”
