DR ROZ SAVAGE MBE
Member of Parliament for the South Cotswolds
(Liberal Democrats)
WELLBEING
Wellbeing combines physical health, mental health, a healthy environment, and knowing there is a safety net to catch you in the bad times. I want to make sure everybody has access to decent food, support for mental health, and clean air, clean water, and healthy soil.
OPPORTUNITY
Paddy Ashdown wrote that the aim of the Liberal Democrats is: "to enable every person in this country to have the opportunities to develop their own potential to the full". This means providing quality education, eradicating poverty, and having public services that are fit for purpose.
COMMUNITY
A thriving country consists of thriving communities, where everybody's voice is heard, everybody's vote matters, and communities have power over the decisions that affect their lives. I passionately believe we need a form of democracy that works - unlike this one.
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Our beloved NHS is at breaking point, chronically underfunded and understaffed, with long waits to see doctors and dentists. We urgently need long-term investment, plus better access to good food and sports facilities to stop people getting ill in the first place. I am campaigning to maintain access to doctors' surgeries and leisure centres.
EDUCATION
We need an education system fit for the 21st century. Young people need the skills necessary to succeed and live a good life, in a system that enables each child to develop their unique gifts, including practical and vocational training. I will advocate for broader, more inclusive education, and for access to apprenticeships.
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
The current first-past-the-post electoral system is unfair. Many voters rightly feel that their votes don't count, so they become disengaged and disillusioned. Proportional representation is a fairer, more inclusive system, and I will advocate tirelessly for democratic reform.
MENTAL HEALTH
Almost everybody across the country is affected, directly or indirectly, by the mental health crisis. We need to give mental health the same priority as physical health. I will campaign for more resources, and am speaking to schools across the constituency to share what I learned on the ocean about resilience.
POVERTY
14 million people in the UK live in poverty, including 4.3 million children. The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer. This is a shame on our nation. I will campaign for fairer taxes and for measures to raise up those who struggle with the daily grind of poverty.
DECENTRALISATION
The UK has one of the most centralised democracies in Europe, leading many people to feel that government is done to them rather than for them. I believe the people who live in a community are the experts on what that community needs, and will campaign for greater powers at local level.
ENVIRONMENT
I've been an environmental campaigner for two decades, and believe government needs to invest in the future, while making it easy and affordable for people to do the right thing. I am working with farmers and communities to address climate change, preserve habitats, and promote regenerative, local food production.
PUBLIC SERVICES
Britain feels broken. Services like the NHS, Royal Mail, trains, buses, and water companies have been cut to the bone, while foreign shareholders get rich at the expense of the British public. It's time for government to invest properly and get Britain working again.
CITIZENS ASSEMBLIES
New technologies like AI and biotech are disrupting our world. Given the often poor decision-making of the current government, the time has come to unleash the power of our citizens through Citizens Assemblies to address the most complex moral issues of our time.
I'm a relative latecomer to politics, which is a good thing. I've been busy leading a diverse and fulfilling life, mixing with all kinds of people, firmly grounded in the real world outside the Westminster bubble.
My father was a Methodist minister, my mother a Methodist deaconess. We didn't have much money, so I started my first paper round at the age of 13, and I've been working ever since.
I was lucky enough to get a grant to study at Oxford, where I read law. I worked in business for 11 years, but then life took a dramatic turn. An environmental awakening led me to chart a new course - becoming the first woman to row solo across three oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian), using my adventures to raise awareness of our ecological crisis. Spending up to 5 months alone at sea gave me plenty of time to think about what's needed in the world, and how I can help create a better future.
I now speak with audiences around the world about the lessons I learned on the ocean about purpose, resilience, and the power of perseverance in the face of enormous challenges. Environmentalists often give the impression the future is all gloom and doom. From my time at sea, being (at times literally) immersed in nature, I'm very aware of the power and beauty of our natural world, and I feel very sad that we have not been better stewards.
Yet there are many reasons for hope. My latest book, The Ocean in a Drop, offers a profoundly optimistic view of the brighter future I believe is possible. And my job as your future MP is to shift this vision from possibility to probability.
Although I had never imagined I would be going into politics, in some ways my whole life has been preparing me for this. My time on the ocean, in particular, has given me humility, practicality, and strength of character. Since I decided to stand for Parliament, countless people have told me, "We need more people like you in politics!" There seems to be a widespread sense of disillusionment with the status quo. People want a different kind of politics, and a different kind of politician - someone who has seen more of life, someone they can relate to, someone who listens.
On the ocean, there were many hard times. I often felt like giving up. But what kept me going was to remember why I was doing it - to help create a better future - and to commit all my courage and determination to that vision of success.
I bring that same approach to the South Cotswolds. There are many opportunities to make lives better by building strong communities, improving mental and physical health, and improving our public services so we all have access to the necessities of life. I'm committed to being a voice for your concerns and aspirations, a representative who actually represents you, an MP who always remembers that I am here to serve you, your family and your community.
Why I'm a Liberal Democrat
"The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity."
(Preamble to the Liberal Democrat Constitution)
The Liberal Democrats stand firm on seven core values: liberty, equality, democracy, community, human rights, internationalism, and environmentalism.
I believe that our country needs these Liberal values as never before. Britain feels broken - everything from our roads to our water companies to our democracy itself has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer fit for purpose. It's time for real and lasting change.
When I was rowing solo across oceans, I had to hold true to a clear vision of the destination - not just the literal destination on the far side of the ocean, but also the vision of a cleaner, greener future that I was advocating for through my adventures.
Now, I have a vision of a Britain grounded on Liberal values, a Britain that promotes vibrant communities, supports good physical and mental health, takes a practical, long-term perspective on building infrastructure and creating worthwhile jobs, while being good stewards of our natural heritage. I have a vision of a Britain that provides opportunity for every child and adult to thrive, a Britain that is no longer broken, but works as a civilised country should, to support the wellbeing of its citizens.
I believe that, working hand in hand, standing shoulder to shoulder, we can make this vision a reality. I'm committed to always being an advocate for your best interests. I am here to serve you, your family and your community. Together, we can fix broken Britain.
"Liberal Democrats have a clear and singular aim: to enable every person in this country to have the opportunities to develop their potential to the full."
(Paddy Ashdown)