England's smallest shire district council now comprises 30 Liberal Democrat members and six from the Labour Party, down from nine, after last week's Local Election results.

But the party is the largest in North Herts, Stevenage and Welwyn Hatfield.

Alistair Strathern is the party's Mid Bedfordshire MP, who will contest the Hitchin seat at the next general election.

At an election count in Letchworth, he said: "It's really clear that Hitchin is going to be a choice between Labour and the Conservatives at the next election.

"It's going to be close, and I'm going to be working really hard between now and then to earn people's support, but we've got a fantastic opportunity to finally get the change that people here are desperately crying out for."