The Liberal Democrats have announced that Lisa Nash, a lecturer in midwifery and councillor for Knebworth, will be their candidate for Stevenage at the next general election.

Ms Nash has experience in the role, having previously fought the seat for the Lib Dems in 2019, when she came third with 4,132 votes - more than double the total won by the party in 2015 and 2017.

Among her opponents this time around will be Alex Clarkson for the Conservatives, and Kevin Bonavia for Labour.

Ms Nash is a lecturer in midwifery at City University, and was previously a link lecturer in the maternity unit at Lister Hospital.

She has represented Knebworth on North Herts Council since 2018, following her successful campaign to save the village's only pub, and is the only non-Conservative candidate to have won in the ward. She gained over 60 per cent of the vote in the 2022 local elections.

Ms Nash has also organised a Covid-response support group in Knebworth, and has campaigned to adapt Hertfordshire County Council's Local Cycling Walking Infrastructure Plan based on feedback from Knebworth residents.

Following her selection as candidate, Ms Nash said: “I have a passion for politics and Liberal Democrat values.

“I am relishing the opportunity to stand again. I feel I can bring a range of experience as a voice and a member of parliament for Stevenage.

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“I am an experienced advocate with a proven track record and not afraid to stand up and be counted for our communities, whether it is around our environment, the NHS, planning, education, housing or travel & transport.

“I am keen to represent you as the next Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for the Stevenage constituency, which includes Aston, Knebworth, Datchworth, Codicote and the rural communities.

"I would be very proud to represent the constituency as your MP as it is so diverse and dynamic, with so many opportunities to improve things for all residents, whilst recognising the very different needs between the town and villages - which I can easily be overlooked but needs just as much attention from the very different needs of the town."

The Conservatives have held Stevenage since 2010, when Stephen McPartland replaced Labour's Barbara Follett as the constituency MP.

Mr McPartland announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down at the next general election.

At the most recent general election, in 2019, Mr McPartland won with 25,328 votes, while Labour's candidate, Jill Borcherds, came second with 16,766 votes. Ms Nash came third with 4,132 votes. 

Recent polls suggest that Labour would be likely to win a general election if one were held now. 

Electoral Calculus’s ‘poll of polls’ for July suggests that Labour would receive 45.8 per cent of votes nationally, against 26.1 per cent for the Conservatives. 

It gives Labour's Kevin Bonavia a 90 per cent chance of winning in Stevenage. 

The next general election must be held no later than January 2025. 

Stevenage is described as a bellwether constituency by politics afficionados because – since its creation in 1983 – it has always been won by the party with the most MPs.