My name is Gayathri Sathyanath and I am standing to be your Liberal Democrat representative in the Havant constituency for this election. I am a proud first-generation immigrant from India and have lived near the Havant area for over 25 years. I am standing to be an MP because I care deeply about the local environment, our health service and helping people tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

My background is in Environmental Science, and I cannot stand by and watch our precious rivers and seas being flooded with excrement, just because the Tories are letting water companies run amok without serious consequences. Havant has been especially badly hit, with 647.5 hours of sewage discharged into Langstone Harbour and more than 1,200 hours’ worth discharged into Chichester Harbour last October alone. The Liberal Democrats will hold the water companies accountable for damaging the environment, and make sure they don’t dodge fines for sewage pollution.

I come from an NHS family, with both my husband and son being doctors in the local area, and it has been incredibly disheartening to witness the NHS start to crumble in the last 14 years of Tory rule. Waiting lists are interminable, GP appointments are unobtainable, and our children’s mental health is suffering. I, and the Liberal Democrats, will fight for a fair deal for the NHS to reduce waiting lists, guarantee quick treatment for cancer patients, increase GP numbers, and appoint a mental health professional in each school.

My third, and perhaps most important, aim is to help people deal with the cost-of-living crisis. People all over the country are being hit with the consequences of the economic mismanagement of the Tories and unfettered profiteering by energy companies and supermarkets. We in the Liberal Democrats seek to implement proper windfall taxes on energy companies, double the winter fuel allowance, and provide a warm home discount in winter months.

A vote for me and the Liberal Democrats is a vote for positive, compassionate change in the things that matter most to people, and a statement that says ‘Enough is enough’.