Layla Moran: It is now clear, the people want to exit Brexit

The results in the European elections for the Liberal Democrats in Oxfordshire were astonishing.

We topped the poll in Oxford, the Vale, South and West Oxfordshire.

We were well ahead of every other party across the county as a whole.

In Oxford, our colleagues in the Green Party came a very strong second too.

This follows the brilliant results for the Lib Dems and the Greens in the local elections.

In doing so, local residents have elected three excellent Lib Dem MEPs in Catherine Bearder, Antony Hook and Judith Bunting. I am looking forward to working with all three of them for the benefit of our area.

I am proud of this election but the work isn’t done yet.

The message to the Government from residents across the county is now clearer than ever: we must stop Brexit.

Equally importantly, we need to focus on the real issues of the day.

While the Government is at a standstill over Brexit, they are doing nothing to sort out the very serious problems we are facing in our public services.

The strain on our NHS gets worse day by day.

We are seeing regular problems in Oxford, with some services being outsourced and others closing to patients.

Local school budgets get ever tighter. Headteachers and Governors report that they are cutting to the bone and reducing what they can offer.

And the financial strain on local councils makes their position nigh on impossible.

Nationally the picture was similar: the Liberal Democrats beat the two main parties for the first time in around 100 years.

As the primary challenger to Nigel Farage we gained 15 MEPs across Great Britain.

The message from my constituents to me has been overwhelmingly against Brexit.

Locally, as the results show, residents understand the serious risk it brings to our local economy, and to opportunities for our young people.

It is clear now that something has to change.

That’s why I will continue to call for an Exit from Brexit so we get back to sorting out the real issues facing our communities.

I’m a Liberal Democrat because I’m proud to be a Brit and to be a European. It’s that simple. And I’m proud of these results.