It was pleasing to see on Friday morning that Theresa May’s arrogant, shameful attempt to crush opposition has been rightly rewarded with the loss of the Conservative’s majority in the House of Commons.

Locally, the Lib Dem performance was largely similar to that from two years ago in 2015. There is obviously work we need to do to translate the significant increase in local members we’ve had recently into an improved performance at the ballot box.

I have been impressed by the number of new members eager to get campaigning and so given, hopefully, some more time before the next general election, we should be in a much stronger position. Thanks to everyone who has supported the campaigns of Anita Day in Grantham and Stamford and Julia Cambridge in South Holland and The Deepings.

Across the country there were some good results for the Lib Dems, with a 50% increase in the party’s number of MPs. It was sad however to see several prominent Lib Dems lose their seats including former Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

Also sadly, “Mystic Clegg” had another of his predictions proven true as the Tories are now forced to cosy up to the DUP in order to get things done in Parliament.

After many months of urging respect for the EU referendum result, which has actually meant her own hard Brexit vision for our country, it is clear that now the decision of voters in this general election has to be respected and May must stop perusing this harmful plan.

The majority of voters did not vote for parties who support May’s position of quitting the EU with no deal.

How well can May balance respecting the result of the referendum and respecting the result of the general election?  That is likely to determine how long she can remain at Number 10.

For if we are to take her words at face value, her ability to negotiate her vision of Brexit must now be significantly harmed. That will not please those on either side of the Brexit argument in her party, as they find whatever influence they may have had will now be diminished.

The election, and its demonstration of the opposition to May’s hard Brexit, has increased the case for a referendum on the deal we reach with the EU. We can’t simply sit back whilst May attempts to cook up a Brexit designed simply to keep her in power rather than in the best interests of the Country.