In the Parliamentary election Sal Brinton ensured that the Liberal Democrats leapt from third place in 2001 to second just 2.3% behind Labour’s Claire Ward. The votes for both Labour and the Conservatives fell as the Liberal Democrats achieved a massive 13% swing- one of the highest in the country. Watford is the now the third most vulnerable Labour seat to a Lib Dem swing in the entire country.

The Liberal Democrats did even better in the County elections held the same day.

The Liberal Democrats won three of the six seats in Watford Borough and took 38.3% of the vote, up 11.1% on the 2001 elections. They held Central Watford and Oxhey and Woodside/Stanborough with increased majorities, while Audrey Oaten held her by-election gain in Meriden Tudor. To the surprise of some observers the Liberal Democrats came within 220 votes of ousting Conservative County education boss and this year Civic Chairman, Rob Gordon, in normally safe Nascot Park .

Maria Green, narrowly failed in Vicarage Hollywell to win this previously safe Labour seat by just 360 votes.

Paul Goggins easily held the Abbots Langley division which largely falls in the Wafford constituency while Pam Hames for the Lib Dems saw a 10% increase in her vote in Oxhey Park, an area that covers both Oxhey Hall and Carpenders Park in Watford constituency and the Conservative heartland of Moor Park and Eastbury.

The Liberal Democrats increased their vote in every county division covered by the Watford Constituency.

Across the whole of Hertfordshire the Liberal Democrats managed to out poll Labour taking 26.1% of the vote and winning 14 seats compared to 10 in 2001. The Liberal Democrats made a number of gains from both the Conservatives and Labour, taking seats such as Tring (Dacorum) and Chells in Stevenage . The Conservative however retain control of County Hall having made a large number of gains from Labour.

The newly elected Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader at County Hall, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who was returned for Central Watford and Oxhey said “Whilst I am delighted at the confidence that local residents have placed in county candidates and especially with an enlarged group, it is of course disappointing not to have won the parliamentary election at the same time. What is now clear for all to see is, with both second place in the parliamentary election and topping the poll in the county elections, if you vote Liberal Democrat locally you can also vote for us nationally and you will get a Lib Dem MP next time!”