Sally Symington is standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hemel Hempstead on 8th June

Sally Symington has been selected to stand as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Hemel Hempstead constituency. When asked how she felt about the upcoming election Sally said "I feel inspired and energised by the flood of support that I have already received personally, and that the party has received nationally, in the last three days since the announcement of the snap election. This is a hugely pivotal time for us all and I am very honoured and proud to have the good fortune to be the Liberal Democrat candidate in this election and reveal the lies and distortions of the Hard (now renamed 'Clean') Brexit movement of which Mike Penning is a part. The people of Hemel Hempstead deserve better - they deserve an open and honest debate about the choices we face both locally and as a nation and the consequences of those decisions as they affect us all."

Sally has lived, worked and raised her family in the rural part of the Hemel Hempstead constituency for the last twenty years. Prior to this, she worked for ten years in the financial services industry as an institutional fund manager. She has an MSc in Public Policy from University College London and holds a BSc in Physics from Bristol University.

Sally worked as a researcher in the Constitution Unit during the 2015 general election and is currently the trustee of a local charity which funds hospice-at-home care for children with life-limiting conditions. She has been a local parish councillor and during her time as Chair she produced a Parish Plan, increased the share of funding to rural areas, campaigned for improvements to the broadband service, promoted affordable rural housing and campaigned for the downgrading of an A road blighted by waste lorry traffic passing through the local community.

A lifelong liberal, Sally was motivated to join the Liberal Democrat party during the 2008 financial crisis. She was shocked by the consequences of flick-flacking of power between the two major parties, resulting from the First Past the Post electoral system and the endemic elitism of the politicians purporting to serve us. Outraged by the cleavages and intolerance in our society exposed by the referendum vote to Leave the EU, as well as the lack of opposition to the Conservatives in her local area, she is standing for parliament to represent the people who want an alternative to the arrogant, high handed, intolerant and evidently undemocratic government which, at every stage, has put its own interests over those of the country.

Sally also has a personal interest in helping more women have a voice in politics and will therefore be using the opportunity of standing for parliament to involve as many women as possible along the way.

To show support for Sally, or to find out more about what she's up to and how you can get involved, like her facebook page here.