THE current MP for the Stroud constituency has spoken out after it was announced this week that the General Election would take place in July,

This week Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that a General Election will be held on Thursday, July 4. 

Mr Sunak, who has been Prime Minister since October 2022, has called the election after months of speculation about its date.

Candidates for the Stroud parliamentary constituency have started giving their initial thoughts to the news.  

Conservative Siobhan Baillie, who has been the MP for Stroud since 2019 said: "A lot of people have already met me on their doorsteps so they know I like a good campaign and there’s not one bigger than a general election.

"It has been an honour to represent you all in this beautiful and quirky bit of the Cotswolds.

"I love the people, businesses and innovation across Stroud, the Valleys and Vale and I’m proud of what we have achieved in the last four years - including taking on all the challenges like getting through the pandemic together.

"This will be a positive campaign from me. I like this job as it’s about problem solving so, of course, I see issues to fix but I cannot stand the doom mongers trying to talk our area and the country down.

"Since 2019, I think I have shown that politics can still be a force for good with a big dose of hard graft and an independent spirit.

"From school and college investment, to funding for ace community projects, sports facilities, getting nuclear expertise back to Berkeley and saving pubs - even having to stand up for local people being attacked about a clock - I have been fighting to get stuff done.

"And my national work on childcare, families, hydrogen combustion engines, online anonymous abuse and bringing WWT Slimbridge wetlands and local businesses to a national stage shows you can have a strong local MP doing an effective national job too.

"It will be an interesting campaign.

"You can see the shift for the country on the economy, cost of living, security and defence in these difficult times and choice is: who to trust on these most important of issues. And who do you want fighting the corner of Stroud, the Valleys and Vale?

"There is no point faffing about or pretending this will be easy.

"It is going to be the toughest election in a generation and we all know I am the underdog - again!

"But I love a challenge and no one will work harder for you."

Due to the recent boundary changes, the Stroud constituency will have some changes. 

It has gained Wotton-under-Edge but Bisley,  Hardwicke , Minchinhampton and Painswick and Upton will all form part of the new North Cotswolds constituency. 

The Stroud constituency is formed of: Amberley & Woodchester, Berkeley Vale, Cainscross, Cam East, Cam West, Chalford, Coaley & Uley, Dursley, Nailsworth , Randwick, Whiteshill & Ruscombe, Rodborough, Severn, Stonehouse, Stroud Central, Stroud Farmhill & Paganhill, Stroud Slade, Stroud Trinity, Stroud Uplands, Stroud Valley, The Stanleys, Thrupp and Wotton-under-Edge