Shapps among losers as Labour dominates in Herts
Former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps loses his Welwyn-Hatfield seat
- Published
The Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps, has lost the seat of Welwyn-Hatfield in Hertfordshire.
Mr Shapps, a prominent and experienced cabinet member and long-serving MP, has lost to Labour after 19 years as the constituency's MP.
Speaking to those attending the electoral count, the ousted MP said: "It's clear tonight that Britain will have a new government in the morning."
Mr Shapps said the public were fed up with the party's "endless political soap-opera" and that "the people do not vote for divided parties".
He lost to Labour's Andrew Lewin, who overturned a 10,733 majority in the seat.
Labour's Chris Hinchliff has taken North East Hertfordshire from the Conservatives
The North East Hertfordshire seat saw another massive Conservative majority overturned by Labour.
In 2019, Sir Oliver Heald had a majority of more than 18,000, but chose to retire after over 30 years as MP in the area.
That majority has been wiped out with Labour's Chris Hinchliff winning the seat with 18,358 votes and a majority of 1,923 over the Conservatives with 16,435.
Reform UK once again in third place with 8,462 votes.
Sir Oliver Dowden retains his seat but with a reduced majority
Former deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden has described it as an “extremely difficult night” for the Conservative Party after his majority in Hertsmere was reduced from 21,313 to 7,992.
He added that the Conservative Party must "reflect long and hard" on events.
In reference to his reduced majority, he addressed voters: "I have heard your concerns and I want to assure you that I don’t take them for granted."
Daisy Cooper retains her St Albans seat for the Liberal Democrats
Meanwhile Deputy Liberal Democrat leader Daisy Cooper has been re-elected as the MP for St Albans.
She increased her share of the vote from 27,610 in 2019 to 29,222.
Ms Cooper was regularly seen campaigning with party leader Sir Ed Davey.
She told the BBC her party was feeling "humbled but jubilant", adding: "We are back in British politics".
Josh Dean becomes one of Labour's youngest MPs, taking Hertford and Stortford at the age of 24
In Hertford and Stortford, Labour's Josh Dean is one of the youngest MPs to win tonight at just 24 years old.
Born in the QE2 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City, raised in Hertford, lives in Ware, working in marketing, studying politics, he overturned the 2019 Conservative majority of 17,806, and won with a 4,748 majority over the Tories.
Reform UK came third followed by the Greens.
Labour's Alistair Strathern has taken the new seat of Hitchin - after originally sitting in the Mid Bedfordshire seat
Alistair Strathern's gamble to stand in a different seat has paid off, as the former Labour MP for Mid Bedfordshire (won in a by-election after Nadine Dorries resigned) has succeeding in winning the Hitchin seat from the Conservatives.
With 22,067 votes, Mr Strathern had a 7,109 majority over the Conservative candidate Bim Afolami, who polled 14,958.
'Tory chaos'
Labour's David Taylor has taken the Hemel Hempstead seat from the Conservatives, which had previously been held by Sir Mike Penning.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Taylor said that "people had voted for change".
"Tory chaos left people in Hemel worse off," he added.
"Labour will reset our economy and our politics so they once again work to serve the interest of working people here and in our community and in Britain."
Gagan Mohindra takes South West Hertfordshire for the Tories
Gagan Mohindra was a very happy Conservative as he has retained his South West Hertfordshire seat.
He won with 16,458 votes, an increase from 2019 when he polled 14,408.
Sally Symington came second with 12,002 votes and in third place was Alex Sufit for Labour.
In the brand new seat of Harpenden and Berkhamsted, the Liberal Democrat Victoria Collins has become its first MP of East or South East Asian descent, with a majority of 10,708.
The turnout there was 75%, huge when compared to some other constituencies in Beds, Herts and Bucks.
The seat is one which the Lib Dems have been targeting since its leader Sir Ed Davey launched the party's local election campaign in April 2024.
Conservative Nigel Gardner managed 16,574 votes and Ms Collins took 27,282, with Reform in third place on 4,245.
'Democracy is democracy'
Matt Turmaine wins Watford for Labour
Matt Turmaine has won Watford for Labour.
He took the seat from Conservative Dean Russell, with a more than 35% share of the vote.
Mr Russell said: "Democracy is democracy".
He said he had delivered all his pledges over the past four and a half years.
"The truth is I'm not going to blame anyone; this is on my shoulders; I'll take it on the chin."
Not a big surprise to see the post-war new town of Stevenage turn red overnight.
It's what is known as a bellwether seat, so tends to vote the way of the country when it comes to general elections.
It's quite a big swing though, as the incumbent Conservative MP Stephen McPartland (who stood down) had a majority of 8,562, but the new MP for Labour now has a majority of 6,618 over Conservative candidate Alex Clarkson.
Lewis Cocking, leader of Broxbourne Council, beat Labour's Catherine Deakin to retain the seat for his party, getting 15,810 votes.
Ms Deakin secured 12,952 votes, Tom Holdsworth for Reform came third with 8,782 votes.
Sir Charles Walker had been the Conservative MP for Broxbourne for 19 years with a majority of 19,807, but had stood down in advance of this election.
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