The Liberal Democrats have claimed they would win the East Hampshire seat at the next General Election based on last week’s local election results.

Party campaigners said analysis of the figures suggested the Liberal Democrats would secure about 35 percent of the vote in East Hants if the results were repeated at a General Election, putting them ahead of their rivals in the constituency.

The claim follows a strong set of local election results nationally for the Liberal Democrats, with party officials describing the outcome as their eighth consecutive round of local election gains.

The seat currently is held by Conservative Damian Hinds, who won with a majority of more than 1,200 votes over Lib-Dem Dominic Martin.

Mr Martin, who has been reselected as the Lib-Dem candidate for the next General Election, said voters were increasingly turning away from the Conservatives and Labour in favour of “positive, community-focused politics”.

Mr Martin said his campaign would focus on protecting local rivers, resisting inappropriate development, improving housing affordability and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with housing growth.

Mr Martin said: “The message from voters is clear, people want change. Across the country, communities are increasingly frustrated with the failures of both the Conservatives and Labour and are turning to the Liberal Democrats to deliver practical solutions and a more positive style of politics.

“People are tired of division and polarisation. We believe in building up our communities through constructive change, not simply telling people the country is broken.

“The Liberal Democrats have always been the party of strong local government and local action. We’re rooted in our communities and focused on getting things done. Voters in East Hants know we are working hard locally and standing up for the issues that matter to residents.”

Mr Martin added that the Liberal Democrats were “the only major party in England continuing to grow support consistently on the back of a strong local delivery record.”