【高级听力】Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson’s Concession Speech

Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson’s Concession Speech

12 December 2019

This may not be a word-for-word transcript.

Well, I’d like to thank the returning officer and all of the staff that have been involved in this election campaign, the emergency services and all of my fellow candidates.

And congratulate, Amy, wholeheartedly, it is an amazing job. I’m sure you will love doing it and I wish you well. And what you said about young women and smashing boundaries, I wholeheartedly agree.

I would also like to thank my agents, Liberal Democrat campaigners and activists who have made this campaign special with the additional challenge of doing it as leader of the Liberal Democrats.

I particularly would like to thank my mom, my sister Nicola, my husband Duncan and our two darling boys, Andrew and Gabriel.

And I would like to thank the people of East Dunbartonshire for putting your faith in me for twelve and a half years to represent this wonderful place. I’ve enjoyed serving our communities. I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to make a difference – whether it’s here on local issues, whether it’s supporting people working on the national minimum wage by introducing penalties for rogue employers, whether it’s women in our economy by introducing gender pay gap reporting.

Tonight, we have seen that it is likely that Boris Johnson is on course to get a majority and it is clearly a good night for the SNP.

Some will be celebrating the wave of nationalism that is sweeping on both sides of the border, and I do congratulate all those who are newly elected.

These are very significant results for the future of our country, and I will be making further remarks later today. But let me say now, for millions of people in our country, these results will bring dread and dismay, and people are looking for hope. I still believe that we, as a country, can be warm and generous, inclusive and open, and by working together with our nearest neighbours, we can achieve so much more. 

Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for these values that guide our liberal movement: openness, fairness, inclusivity. We will stand up for hope.

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