ON Sunday, Oxford MP Layla Moran announced she would stand to be the next leader of the Lib Dems -- and Oxford Mail readers had plenty to say about it.

Some were pleased by the Oxford West and Abingdon MP's announcement, while others were concerned her new role would take her focus away from constituency issues.

On Twitter, Adam Lethbridge wrote: "I voted Lib Dem at the last GE and I've already forgotten the name of the previous leader (seriously). Please make me want to vote Lib Dem again."

The Lib Dems' last leader, Jo Swinson, lost her seat in December to Scottish National Party MP Amy Callaghan.

In the Oxford Mail comments section pedantscorner was less hopeful about Ms Moran's bid.

They wrote: "If Layla Moran gets to lead the Lib-Dems., and Rebecca Long-Bailey gets to lead the Labour Party, that's the s***ing Tories in for ever and ever."

And Twitter used Mandax wrote: "That should keep the Tories in for a while."

On Facebook, Wendi Isabel was nostalgic for the Liberal Democrats' past, and asked: "Where's Paddy Ashdown when his country needs him?"

Mr Ashdown led the Lib Dems between 1988 and 1999, and died in 2018.

On Twitter, Mark Halstead wrote: "Wish she’d put as much effort into her constituency! #A34 #LodgeHill #BrokenPromises"

The Lodge Hill junction has been a long standing issue for MPs and councillors in Oxford West and Abingdon, with more than 30 years of campaigning to see it upgraded to a diamond junction.

But there were also supporters of Ms Moran among commenters.

Katherine Tyson, a Lib Dem councillor on Cherwell District Council said the announcement was 'fantastic news'.

John Waine said there was 'no contest' in the leadership race.

Facebook user John Malone took a 'why not?' attitude to the announcement.

He said: "Overturned Tory/ Lib Dem marginal seat to 9000 majority. I voted tactically to keep Tory out like many in Abingdon."

In her interview with the Oxford Mail, Ms Moran said she hoped being in the position of party leader would help her to have a louder voice for local issues like rebuilding the dual carriageway junction at Lodge Hill.

She said: “I wanted and I still want to be putting the constituency of Oxford West and Abingdon first, and residents are the most important thing to me.”

She added that her constituents were ‘the ones who held her fate in their hands.’

Two other Liberal Democrats have already declared they will stand in the leadership race: Bath MP Wera Hobhouse and Edinburgh MP Christine Jardine.

According to the Liberal Democrats website, formal nominations for the party leadership are set to open in May, and the final count begins on July 15.