Matt Sanders selected as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for South West Hertfordshire

Matt has already been campaigning across the constituency. He is proud to return to the county where his Mum went to school, and will be a strong voice for our towns and villages. Matt’s local priorities include:

• Fighting for better health provision including a new hospital at Watford;
• Protecting our local environment and green belt, from Abbots Langley to Chorleywood, from top down government targets;
• Securing opportunities for our children and young people, backing Hertfordshire’s reforms for children with special educational needs;
• Challenging rail companies for more reliable transport services, after uncovering data showing that almost one in four trains from Kings Langley are late or cancelled.

Matt is an education policy expert and has spent his career fighting to give every child a fair start in life. He grew up on free school meals at his local state comprehensive, before winning a place to study architecture at Cambridge University - leaving Matt determined to give back. Through his work as a government adviser, he drove the introduction of Universal School Meals for Infants and the Pupil Premium. These policies have meant extra money to support children in South West Hertfordshire schools, and have helped thousands of local families with the cost of living. 

The Blue Wall seat of South West Hertfordshire is one of the party’s top targets, and will be a direct two-way fight with the Conservatives. At the last General Election, the Conservatives held the seat with the Liberal Democrats in second place. The Liberal Democrats received 12,002 votes, just 4,456 behind the Conservatives. Labour came third with 9,637 votes. With thousands of Labour voters set to vote tactically next time, Liberal Democrats can win the seat.

Liberal Democrats have run Three Rivers District Council, which covers the majority of the constituency, continuously since 1994. In 2025 Liberal Democrats also became the largest party on Hertfordshire County Council. Liberal Democrats hold the neighbouring parliamentary seats of St Albans, Chesham and Amersham and Harpenden and Berkhamsted.

Only Matt Sanders and the Liberal Democrats can beat the Conservatives in South West Hertfordshire.

Matt Sanders said:

“It’s a huge honour to be selected by local Liberal Democrat members to contest South West Hertfordshire at the next General Election. My friends are here, my Mum went to school here, and I will do everything I can to stand up for our towns and villages.

“From the Tour de Ricky, the Abbots Langley Festival or Croxley Revels - people here roll up their sleeves to strengthen our community and, if elected at the next General Election, I will be an MP who does the same.

“Campaigning across the constituency, it’s clear that the Conservative party have taken South West Hertfordshire for granted. Whether it’s the desperate need for better health, education and transport services, or the pollution in our rivers and threat to our local environment, the Conservatives have let us down and Labour have brought only more disappointment.

“Liberal Democrats have a strong record locally, and I am proud to have already helped deliver policies that have meant more investment in our local schools and support for local families with the cost of living. At the next General Election, I’m ready to be the strong, local MP that South West Hertfordshire deserves.”

St Albans MP and Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said:

“I’m delighted that Matt has been selected. He’s a passionate community campaigner and has a truly impressive background in helping to change the law to improve children’s lives through the introduction of the Pupil Premium and free school meals for infants.

“In South West Hertfordshire, it’s clear that only Matt Sanders and the Liberal Democrats can beat the Conservatives, with Labour a clear third last time. Meanwhile Reform and the Conservatives increasingly look like the same party, with both Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage dancing to Trump’s tune.

“Liberal Democrats will be fighting hard to elect Hertfordshire’s third Liberal Democrat MP in Matt Sanders at the next General Election.”