The Lib Dem bidding to be Kettering's next MP who wants to avoid US healthcare system she grew up with at all costs

The 47-year-old is originally from Chicago and has lived in the UK since 2001, where she works in the financial sector.

Growing up in the United States there was no national health service, with any treatment being paid for by citizens or through insurance packages.

Now Ms Ryan is standing to be Kettering’s next MP as the Liberal Democrat representative – and says improving health and social care is her top priority.

She told the Northants Telegraph: “Our NHS has not been invested in. As somebody who grew up in a fully privatised healthcare system I literally say a prayer and thank that the NHS is part of my life every single day.

"There is no comparison – we have no idea how lucky we are to have the NHS.

"It’s very sad to see the underinvestment in the NHS over this time of Conservative leadership…seeing the alternative of a United States-like private healthcare system, it’s just something that we need to avoid at all costs. I don’t think anything good comes from a movement towards private healthcare in the UK.”

Ms Ryan works in finance, currently leading mergers and acquisitions for a global insurance company, and has pledged to fight for a fairer society and over issues that matter to people in Kettering.

She was galvanised to become involved in UK politics by Brexit, which she says was a ‘massive own goal’ and a ‘waste of money and resources’. Sixty-one per cent of people in Kettering voted to leave the EU.

In 2019, ahead of that year’s general election, the Lib Dems pledged to cancel Brexit if they won. But Ms Ryan said she does not think campaigning to rejoin the EU is the best use of resources now as other areas need fixing first.

She said: “I don’t think reversing Brexit is a good use of anybody’s time right now.

"There are certainly things we should be doing to solve the fundamental problem that Brexit has created for small businesses, in particular, to grow…I would focus more on what we can do, given the situation we’re in now, to improve the business environment that is going to help spur growth.”

In every general election since 1992, apart from one occasion, the Liberal Democrats have come third in Kettering.

However, their recent voting figures have been poor compared to the past – picking up between 1,500 and 3,400 votes at the past three elections compared to more than 5,000 at the five elections before that.

Ms Ryan thinks they currently have an ‘outstanding’ leader in Sir Ed Davey and that his message about helping carers has resonated with people, which she hopes will help this time around in Kettering.

She is one of two names on the ballot who does not live in the constituency – currently living in London.

When asked how people here would resonate with her, she said she would move to Kettering if elected, that she is very approachable and is excited by new challenges.

She added: “People should vote for who resonates with their values most significantly.

"I certainly can understand somebody who votes tactically but I also would encourage people that feel that the Lib Dem message resonates more with them to vote for the Lib Dems.”

Standing in the Kettering constituency at the General Election on July 4 are: Rosie Wrighting (Labour), Philip Hollobone (Conservative), Crispian Besley (Reform), Emily Fedorowycz (Green), Sarah Ryan (Liberal Democrats), Jim Hakewill (Indepedent), Jehad Aburamadan (Alliance for Democracy and Freedom) and Matthew Murphy (Social Democratic Party).