Lady Ashdown delighted by the Liberal Democrat success across the South-West and nationally

With Liberal Democrat MPs elected across almost all of Somerset as well as swathes of Devon and Dorset, Jane Ashdown, widow of Paddy Ashdown (Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon) says:

"I can't wipe the grin off my face - it means everything. I just wish Paddy was here to see it and to celebrate. He would have been especially thrilled to see two Lib Dems elected locally, Adam {Dance} in Yeovil and Sarah [Dyke] in Glastonbury and Somerton.

"But his interest was in the whole party. He would be gobsmacked at the national result - just speechless, which didn't happen very often.

"Paddy would have been so proud of Ed (Davey) who was part of his original office team in the 1990s. He would have greatly admired the energy Ed has put into the campaign and the attention to the issues he has received by doing all those incredible things on the campaign trail. Paddy used to say that if you want someone to listen to you, you've got to make sure that they know that you are listening to them. Ed has done that through the campaign and has carried the party and voters with him."

Jane Asdown has been a long term supporter of Adam Dance MP for Yeovil and was present at the launch of his campaign with Nick Clegg last October.  

Adam, who first became involved in politics through the interest of both Paddy and David Laws when he was campaigning to save his local youth club at the age of 16, says:

"Paddy, and now Jane, have always been ready to provide guidance and encouragement as my political career has evolved.  In fact it was Paddy who passed me the papers to ...  I owe a lot to both Jane and Paddy, and I plan to be an approachable and community MP just as Paddy was."