Thanks for doubled vote, says Exley-Moore

7.13.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 6th May 2005

Tania Exley-Moore has thanked the 7,495 people who voted for her on election day. Speaking to the Scarborough Evening News Tania said she was 'chuffed to bits' with her vote, which almost doubled the 2001 Liberal Democrat vote.

She also congratulated Conservative Robert Goodwill the new Scarborough and Whitby MP, but warned that parliamentary gains in Leeds and Newcastle showed that the Liberal Democrats were a growing force in Yorkshire and the North East. 'Liberal Democrats jumped into second place in many seats. Labour and the Conservatives threw loads of money and front bench spokesmen into this constituency, and not even a Prime Ministerial visit and endorsement could save it for Labour, or stop us from showing an 87% increase in our vote.'

Tania congratulated Whitby councillor Rob Broadley on his landslide re-election to the County Council, but said that Scarborough would be deprived of a valuable councillor after Michael Pitts lost his seat following a boundary reorganisation of his ward.

'I said during the campaign that the MP was living on borrowed Liberal Democrat votes, and that I wanted them back. The Liberal Democrats are back as a political force in Scarborough and Whitby, and as soon as we're all recovered from this election, I will be seeking to have my nominations as Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the next election.'

Related Link:

The Scarborough and Whitby result in full.