Lib-Dem leader Tim Farron hails 'inspirational' Sarah Olney after Richmond Park victory

Tom Powell2 December 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has hailed Sarah Olney as an "inspiration for millions" following her shock election in Richmond Park.

Ms Olney clinched the south-west London seat by just 1,872 votes on Thursday night, overturning Zac Goldsmith’s 23,000 majority in the 2015 general election.

Mr Farron said her victory was proof that if you "roll your sleeves up and take part", you have a chance to make a change.

He said: “Seventeen or 18 months ago Sarah was not a member of the Lib-Dems.

Victorious: Sarah Olney at the election count
Getty Images

“She woke up like many other people that day after the general election and thought fear and division has won, liberalism has lost as Nick Clegg powerfully put it.

Richmond Park by-election 2016 - In pictures

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“She decided that she was not going to cry into her coffee, she was going to roll her sleeves up and do something about it.

“Now if you felt the same way about that election 18 months ago, or the referendum five months ago, or even Trump’s election a few weeks ago, this is a reminder that you can change things.

“If you decide to sit on the sidelines and feel sad about the world you won’t change it. If you decide to roll your sleeves up and take part you jolly well might. Sarah is proof of that.”

Ms Olney’s campaign was built around Brexit and she promised that if elected she would vote against Article 50.

It is likely the party’s anti-Brexit message clinched them victory in a constituency which voted 70 per cent to remain in June’s EU referendum.

But she shares Mr Goldsmith's views on Heathrow, opposing the government’s decision to build a third runway.

Mr Farron added that he was “dead proud” of her.

“I think she is an inspiration to millions of people in this country who are desperate for a progressive moderate alternative to the Tories that the Labour party now clearly aren’t,” he said.

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