Nick Clegg, Leader of the Lib Dems

Liberal Democrats are celebrating a fantastic new win, after Dave Hodgson was elected as Mayor of Bedford.

Leader of the party, Nick Clegg, commented: “A couple of hours ago Bedford elected a new Mayor – Liberal Democrat Dave Hodgson. This is a sensational victory for Dave Hodgson and I congratulate him and the Bedford Liberal Democrats for an outstanding campaign.”

“You might not have seen much about this election in the media – but this by-election matters. The Mayor of Bedford represents more people than an MP does, and Dave will be making important decisions that affect the lives of the people of Bedford.”

“This result shows how misplaced the Conservatives’ complacency about the next election really is. The Liberal Democrats have never taken a single vote for granted. With Labour lagging behind at a disastrous fifth this is yet more evidence that the real choice is now between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.”

“I’ve just recorded this video to congratulate Dave Hodgson, our new Mayor of Bedford.”

VIDEO: Nick Clegg on Dave Hodgson’s sensational win