THE leader of the Liberal Democrat group in Wiltshire says his party are the "only credible alternative" to the Tories. 

It comes after the party gained 224 councillors and three majority councils at this month's local elections. 

Richard Clewer, the Conservative leader of Wiltshire Council, said the results were "very concerning" for his party.

It continues something of a trend for the Lib Dems, who, according to its Wiltshire leader Ian Thorn, had the biggest gains of any party in the country last May, "when Boris Johnson was still very popular.

He said the Wiltshire party is feeling "quite buoyed" by the recent results, and that if we had had an election in Wiltshire this May, and the swing in votes mirrored those seen in Somerset, he says his party would be the biggest in Wiltshire with 47 seats - just short of a majority. 

He added they have been seeing gains in towns as well as the rural areas, and that some seats have come from previously very safe, "staunch Tory areas". 

Cllr Thorn, who is currently canvassing in Salisbury where there is a city council by-election soon to be held, said the three main issues people have spoken to him have been the cost of living crisis, trust in government, and getting things done. 

"The events in Downing Street are clearly an issue for a lot of people. 

As well as the national issues, one of the most important issues he finds with voters is potholes - and what is going to be done about them. 

On the cost of living crisis, he said he recently spoke to an 83-year-old woman whose energy bills had risen from £160 to £400.

Cllr Thorn also spoke of visiting a food bank in Calne recently. While there, he saw an elderly couple collecting food, and they were asked by the staff at the foodbank if they liked Pot Noodles. 

"They meant well of course", he said, "but the idea that two elderly people would be eating Pot Noodles for breakfast, lunch or dinner was quite horrifying". 

On why people have been flocking to the Liberal Democrats, he said: "In some places we are the only credible alternative, as other parties do not stand enough candidates to form an adminstration. 

"I also think that a lot of people distrust Labour as much as they distrust the Conservatives at the moment, and that for some soft Tory voters, the Lib Dems is not such a severe change as voting Labour."

He added: "With the Lib Dems you will get very very pro-active councillors. 

"That's not to say with other parties you wont, but because we don't necessarily have any safe seats, we work incredibly hard for our constituents".