For the first time since 2001, Guildford has a Liberal Democrat MP.

Taking to the stand for her acceptance speech, Zoe Franklin announced herself as part of the transforming political landscape. 

“It’s very clear that people across the UK have chosen change,” Mrs Franklin said on July 5. “In Guildford, they have chosen change.

“Right across Guildford and our villages, local people have made it clear to me that after 14 years of a conservative government.

“They were fed up with being failed and they wanted a change of government and an MP. Today that change has come.”

Distancing herself from the previous administration, Mrs Franklin made no reference to the work of the previous MP. Rather, she emphasised her premiership would reach wider and deeper into the town. 

Having lived in Guildford for 25 years and served as a counsellor for seven years. Mrs Franklin said she is “incredibly humbled” to be the new MP.  Her initial focus will be around holding Thames Water to account locally with sewage issues and water supply. 

Increasing GP numbers and addressing problems of NHS dentists was also on Mrs Franklin’s list of priorities. With the Lib Dems having GPs and NHS healthcare as a key part in their manifesto.

“Something I’m really passionate about is scrapping the two-child benefit cap,” she added.

The benefit cap restricts Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit to the first two children per household and was brought in by the Tories in 2017. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has faced pressure to remove the cap but said he cannot make “unfunded promises”. 

When quizzed about how she would do as a Lib Dem MP in a Labour majority government. Mrs Franklin said: “My focus will always be my constituents first, the people of Guilford in our villages.”