Cllr Cheney Payne is the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Cambridge. In the 2024 General Election, she came in second place in the constituency, the closest challengers to Labour.
Cheney, who has served as City Councillor for Castle Ward since 2018, was chosen by local party members to lead the campaign to win Cambridge for the Liberal Democrats at the next General Election.
"I'm honoured and thrilled that members have put their trust in me to finish the job we started," said Cheney Payne. "Cambridge is a wonderful place to live, but at the hands of a Labour government who are pandering to Reform, refusing to consider closer ties with Europe and not paying attention to the critical issues connected to Cambridge's growth, we need a liberal voice in parliament now more than ever."
A Local Champion with National Ambitions
Cheney, 36, has been a secondary school teacher for 14 years and is currently Assistant Principal at one of Cambridgeshire's most deprived secondary schools. She stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Cambridge in the 2024 General Election, where the party came second to Labour and significantly increased their vote share across the county.
The selection comes at a challenging time for the Labour party. Following the party's historic success in winning 72 MPs in 2024 - including all three parliamentary seats surrounding Cambridge (South Cambridgeshire, Ely and East Cambridgeshire, and St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire) - Cambridge is one of only six seats nationally where the Liberal Democrats are second to Labour.
In May's local elections, the Liberal Democrats made significant gains in Cambridge, winning seven out of 14 contested seats and establishing themselves as the largest opposition group on the city council.
Cheney has been a vocal critic of the Labour government's policies, particularly on Europe and education. "Keir Starmer's government has abandoned the progressive values that Cambridge represents," she said. “They've ruled out rejoining the European Single Market despite Cambridge voting 73% to Remain, they're cutting welfare and foreign aid, and they're failing to tackle the education crisis that sees Cambridge children bused out of the city because we don't have enough school places.”
During her time as a councillor, Cheney has championed several successful campaigns including securing sanctuary for 250 refugees, introducing the "Ask for Angela" safety scheme, and taking on developers over substandard housing in Darwin Green. As a teacher, she has first-hand experience of the challenges facing education in Cambridgeshire.
"Cambridge deserves an MP who understands both the classroom and the council chamber," added Cheney. "I've spent seven years listening to residents and fighting for them as their councillor. Now I want to take that same approach to Westminster."
With Labour's majority in Cambridge standing at just under 11,000 and the Liberal Democrats having significantly increased their vote share and local presence, the party is confident about their prospects in Cambridge.
"Everything points to Cambridge being winnable," concluded Cheney. "We've built the team, we've proven we can win locally, and we offer Cambridge voters a genuine alternative to a Labour government that's already disappointing progressives across the country. I can't wait to get started."
"Against the backdrop of rising inflation, cuts to public services and the climate crisis, it is clear that we need Liberal Democrats in Parliament. We are the only party with such a strong record of action on climate change, who are committed to restoring our close relationship with the EU and reforming the UK. After the political turmoil of the last few months, it is clear that the public want an alternative. I am 100% committed to showing the people of Cambridge that the Liberal Democrats offer exactly that."
Cheney is fighting for a fair deal for Cambridge - so we can build an open, compassionate, forward-thinking city.
Local campaigner Cheney Payne is fighting to safeguard our NHS.
Cheney and the Liberal Democrats are calling for a two month cancer treatment guarantee, shorter waiting times for ambulances & GPs, and a package to support unpaid carers.
As a teacher and a candidate to be your MP, education is Cheney’s top priority.
She is calling for the government to provide fairer funding for Cambridge’s schools, to invest in school facilities and to properly assess the impact of the pandemic on our children.
The Lib Dems are committed to re-joining the European Single Market, as made clear by Lib Dem leader Ed Davey this year.
Cheney is also calling for the UK to accept the EU’s offer of freedom of movement for young people - which has been rejected by the Government AND the Labour party.
Cheney Payne is the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Cambridge and City Councillor for Castle Ward.
A long-term connection to Cambridge
I grew up in a tiny village in Derbyshire, where I loved serving my local community, both as a Brownie leader and a member of St John's Ambulance. Thanks to the support of inspiring teachers I won a place to study Theology at the University of Cambridge (at Murray Edwards College) in 2007, becoming the first person in my family to go to university. I fell in love with the city and stayed here after graduation to complete my PGCE and to teach. With my now-husband, we experienced first-hand the Cambridge rental market, living in Arbury, Newnham and East Chesterton, before finally buying our first home in King's Hedges, where we still live with our two unruly cats. In addition to teaching, I am also a City Councillor, and Deputy Leader of the Lib Dems on Cambridge City Council. In my spare time I am keen reader, amateur gardener and organist for local churches.
A career in education in Cambridge
As I approached the end of my Theology degree, it became increasingly clear that I wanted to make a difference through teaching. Unfortunately, when I graduated in 2010, the Conservative government had already axed all financial support for PGCE students training to be Religious Studies teachers. In order to save money and also gain some experience in schools, I moved into a tiny flat above the Isaac Newton pub with a university friend, and spent a year cycling all over Cambridge to work with students with Special Educational Needs, in their schools and homes. This was a real eye-opener for so many reasons. Firstly it highlighted how limited funding for SEND provision is, especially for students who are over 18. Secondly, it showed me just how much good community facilities matter for the parents and carers of students with special needs. Finally, it allowed me to experience the challenges of being self-employed, and just how vulnerable this makes you.
I started my PGCE at the Cambridge University Education Faculty in 2011 and took up my first teaching post a year later. Since then I’ve held a variety of roles, and have recently taken up a post as Assistant Principal at a school in St Neots.
First steps in local politics
I have always been interested in politics, but never really imagined myself becoming involved until the Chesterton Lib Dems came knocking on my door!
By then, I was starting to feel that working as a teacher wasn’t enough. Schools are microcosms of society, and I was seeing inequality up close and in person. Every day felt like a battle to stick square pegs in round holes, with Michael Gove’s curriculum reforms forcing students out of vocational pathways, and grinding away the joy of learning. Schools have been forced to become exam factories, and poorly maintained ones at that.
Cambridge Lib Dems offered the chance to do something more, and when knocking on doors for the first time I was immediately inspired by just how much difference active local government makes.
Why I am standing to be the MP for Cambridge
Seeing the decisions of the Labour Council up close, I believe fervently that we must keep a liberal voice in Cambridge. When I'm out knocking on doors, people often talk to me about how dissatisfied they are with the deal they believe Labour gives them. Residents are concerned about the levels of traffic and pollution, worsened by our appalling public transport system. They feel the heritage and uniqueness of our beautiful city is being destroyed in favour of council vanity projects, and that we are increasingly micro-managed by a Council who wants complete control. Nationally, under Keir Starmer's leadership the Labour party have rejected any possibility of re-joining the European Union, and of electoral reform: two decisions which drastically weaken our possibilities as a nation and as a democracy.
Cambridge is a beautiful, special city, that for many is a symbol of promise and opportunity. It should be a city where local businesses can set up and serve their communities; a city which embraces technology and innovation, and which is welcoming and generous to all. I believe that we need a liberal voice in Cambridge to champion these values.
Read the latest updates from Cheney below:
Cheney Payne, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Cambridge, launched an urgent petition calling on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to guarantee funding for the repair of two critical locks on the Cam.
I'm honoured to have been re-selected to stand as your Liberal Democrat candidate for Cambridge at the next General Election.
A new MRP poll for Cambridge released yesterday show Lib Dem Cheney Payne in a close race with Labour for next week's general election.
Keir Starmer has said, "Under Labour, Britain will not go back into the EU. We will not be joining the single market. We will not be joining a customs union.”
Cheney Payne gives her position on the conflict in Gaza.
General Election Lib Dem Cheney Payne will attend any fairly managed hustings in Cambrid
