I’m Martin Tod, Leader of Winchester City Council and a Lib Dem campaigner for over 20 years. I’m standing to be Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent to deliver greener, faster growth, affordable homes, fairer health and better transport. I’ve led winning campaigns, built strong teams, and delivered real change locally. With your support, we can beat the Tories and Reform – and deliver the future our region needs.

1. Have you ever been a member of another political party?
   • Yes. I joined the Liberal Party at university, then supported the Alliance with the SDP and joined as soon as the parties merged as a ‘founder member’. During all the party’s ups and downs over the years, I’ve stayed a member ever since.
2. With which Lib Dem policies do you disagree?
   • I was genuinely concerned that our General Election manifesto was so weak on health inequalities. For example, there’s a 17-year gap in life expectancy between Fleet and the poorer parts of Portsmouth. I’d like more focus on closing that kind of gap.
3. Can you explain, if selected, how you would seek to negate the public persona and publicity that the Conservative candidate has developed as the current PCC for Hampshire?
   • The best answer is to get positive publicity for our candidate. On top of maximising the coverage I get anyway as a Council Leader, my intent is also to have a dedicated press officer challenging the Tory message and highlighting our own positive story.
4. If selected, what are your plans to raise funds to finance your campaign?  Given your busy work commitments, how much time do you expect to be able to devote to campaign activities, like canvassing, attending events and fundraising?
   • I’ve recruited the team that raised £200k for Chichester’s GE campaign in 8 months and we have a plan for the money we need: I’m already making calls. I’m also used to full-on election campaigning every year at the same time as leading the council.
5. How do you propose to keep abreast of county-wide issues and in particular for those rural communities that often feel “left out”.  What are your communication strategies especially for these areas?
   • I want the campaign to be a listening campaign that works across the region. As well as getting out and listening to residents directly, I will want to listen to our councillors, campaigners and members. They already know how to win in both rural & urban areas.
6. What do you feel are the most pressing challenges for Hampshire to improve climate resilience, reduce carbon emissions and create green jobs?
   • Transport and housing. Transport needs a Mayor serious about improving rail, buses, EVs, walking and cycling. Homes need better flood protection, much more retrofitting and use of planning to ensure new ones are built to the highest possible standards.
7. One of the biggest issues of the mayoral election will be immigration.  Although the issue will be more concentrated in cities, it is gaining traction in the more rural areas and affects the whole of Hampshire.  Your Reform, Conservative and possibly Labour opponents will be anti-immigration.  How will you come out in front of the issue and be proactive about communicating your position?  What will your position be?
   • Our councillors have led support for the ‘City of Sanctuary’ movement: the Mayor must stand with them. That’s who we are. We need a quicker, fairer asylum system, with safe and legal routes to sanctuary for refugees, ending the use of asylum hotels.
8. Trans people have faced years of attacks from the right-wing press and politicians, culminating in April’s Supreme Court ruling that strips trans women from the legal definition of women. This was a historic roll-back of rights.  Will you commit to day to standing up for trans people at every reasonable opportunity, and to fighting for real equality for all genders?
   • Yes. The job isn’t done until everyone feels safe and respected and able to use the public facilities they need. I’ve been particularly appalled by the half-baked and discriminatory EHRC guidance.
9. Given the Mayor will need to work closely with the future unitary authorities, do you have a preference for the arrangement of the new unitary authorities in Hampshire?
   • I’ve chaired the council leaders working on this and am part of the group that believes we need 5 councils – the Isle of Wight and four sensibly sized mainland authorities that are strong enough to deliver – North, Mid, South East and South West Hampshire.
10. What would be your priority in the first 100 days as Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent? Why is this period important?
    • This will be a new organisation: the priority will be recruiting a great team and, using the ambitious manifesto I’d want us all to work on together across our region, to work with other leaders to agree a vision and plan – with quick deliverables for the first year.
11. The Isle of Wight have a problem with ferries and the floating bridge.  How would you deal with this situation?
    • We need ‘Transport for Hampshire and the Solent’ to join up and franchise trains, buses and ferries (like London). Cross-party working and lobbying ministers is key – with IoW MPs and council – to get the government to provide the support needed.
12. What opportunities do you see for the Mayor to bring real improvements to the public transport network, not only roads, but paths, and disjointed and uncoordinated cycle routes across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight?
    • This has been a big priority for me at the County Council and the Mayoralty will let us do much more. We need to franchise (and fix) our buses, get more rail routes, stations and frequency – and finally get a joined up cycle network for Hampshire / Isle of Wight.
13. How do you propose to build new homes and complete new GP services/schools and other facilities and infrastructure going forward?
    • The Mayor is responsible for the ‘spatial development strategy’ with other council leaders which unlocks this. This must set out much stronger infrastructure requirements than we have today – including NHS, energy, water and public transport.

Summary of closing statement:

This election is the most important of our lifetimes, with the power to transform our region and our party’s future. If it falls to the Tories or Reform, it could be a disaster. We need a candidate with a proven record of leading winning teams, performing under pressure, delivering real change, and working effectively with colleagues and communities. I’ve done it before – and with your support, I’ll do it again as your candidate for Mayor.