Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke has officially launched her campaign to represent the newly formed Glastonbury and Somerton constituency in the forthcoming general election.

The announcement came during a well-attended dinner at the Catash Inn in North Cadbury on Friday, February 16, where Dyke was accompanied by key figures including Alistair Carmichael MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs, and Wera Hobhouse MP, the party's Spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change.

Ms Dyke, who made headlines in July 2023 by overturning a substantial Conservative majority to win the Somerton and Frome seat, is setting her sights on continuing her political journey in this new constituency, going up against Conservative Faye Purbrick.

Ms Dyke's victory last year was notable, securing a majority of 11,008 votes, which represented a significant 29% swing in her favour.

With the impending dissolution of her current constituency due to boundary changes, Dyke has been proactive in declaring her candidacy for Glastonbury and Somerton since October.

Speaking after the campaign launch, she said: "Since being elected, I've been working hard on the issues that matter to people in this part of Somerset. I've campaigned to fix our NHS and make it easier for people to see a GP, I've held the Conservatives to account on the cost of living and called for additional support for rural communities, and I've demanded an end to the scandal of sewage in our local rivers. Meanwhile, the Conservatives have caused a crisis in the NHS, crashed the economy and voted to allow sewage dumping in rivers. They've let rural communities down.

"At the General Election, voters in Glastonbury and Somerton will have a clear choice. They either get a hardworking local champion fighting their corner, or yet another Conservative MP content to defer to the party whips and toe the party line. If I'm elected, I will continue championing better local NHS services, fighting for urgent action on the cost of living and working to safeguard the environment.

"I was delighted that Alistair and Wera came along to support the launch of my campaign and that I have so many brilliant activists willing to knock on doors and deliver leaflets in this busy election year."