Amy Holmes
Political reporter, BBC Three Counties

Image source, Reuters

The Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Oliver Dowden, holds on to Hertsmere, but now has a majority of some 8,000, having started the night with more than 21,000.

He was first elected Conservative MP for Hertsmere in 2015.

Gogglebox star Josh Tapper finished in second place for Labour, while Reform UK have another third-place finish.

It will be interesting to see now whether Sir Oliver is involved in any Conservative leadership contests, should Rishi Sunak chose to stand down as Tory leader.

Hemel Hempstead had been held by the Conservatives' Mike Penning since 2005 - he stood down at this election.

Daisie-Belle Downer
BBC News, Rickmansworth

Image source, Daisie-Belle Downer

A real show is being performed at the Watersmeet theatre in Rickmansworth, where the South West Hertfordshire count is taking place.

Labour, Conservative, Reform UK, UK Voice and Rejoin EU candidates are all sitting together to watch the BBC News as the Labour landslide continues.

Image source, Matt Souster/BBC

Labour have gained the Milton Keynes North seat from the Conservatives.

Chris Curtis has won in the constituency he was born and raised in with a majority of 5,430.

He said: "Together Labour and the community will work tirelessly for cheaper bills, safer streets and to get healthcare back on its feet."

Ben Everitt, for the Conservatives, finished second, defending his party's 6,327 majority from 2019.

Image source, Matt Souster/BBC

Holly Nichols
BBC News, Hitchin

Just thought we would share with you reaction in Hitchin of Reform UK party supporters to their leader Nigel Farage's win in Clacton in Essex.

Having been an MEP and one of the main drivers of the UK's exit from the EU, Mr Farage now becomes an MP at the eighth time of trying.

Matt Souster

Labour have gained the Buckingham and Bletchley seat.

Candidate Callum Anderson thanked voters, saying he "will do everything in his power to ensure their trust wasn’t misplaced".

Image source, Matt Souster/BBC

Image source, Matt Souster/BBC

Image source, Matt Souster/BBC

Image source, Jordan Scudder/BBC

At the St Albans count Daisy Cooper is at the count at Batchwood Sports Centre.

She was elected Lib Dem MP in 2019, taking the seat from the Conservatives, and is deputy leader of her party.

Amy Holmes
Political reporter, BBC Three Counties

Image source, Reuters

The Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps, has lost the seat of Welwyn-Hatfield in Hertfordshire.

Recalling the 1997 Labour landslide, the Tories' "Portillo moment" (when the Cabinet minister lost his London seat) has come quite early on.

Mr Shapps, an 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 continued, saying the public were fed-up with the party's "endless political soap-opera" and that "the people do not vote for divided parties".

He has lost to Labour's Andrew Lewin who stood for the Lib Dems in Hertford & Stortford in 2010 (finishing second) and who was born in the old QE2 hospital.

Mr Lewin grew up in Bishop's Stortford, but moved back to Welwyn with his wife seven years ago.

Daisie-Belle Downer
BBC News, Hertfordshire

Image source, Daisie-Belle Downer/BBC

Narinder Sian, Green Party candidate for South West Hertfordshire, has taken part in his first campaign.

"Every Green vote will make the new government take climate and nature a bit more seriously," he said.

"I am feeling very positive; we have had a good response on the doorstop; I don't think the exit polls reflect what's happened in Herts, due to the boundary changes, and although the exit polls are predicting it's going to be closer between Labour and Conservatives, I think the final vote will be slightly different."

Image source, Daisie-Belle Downer/BBC

However, Reform UK candidate Keith Steers said: "It’s a long night but looking very hopeful here."

Well-placed sources on the ground suggest that Sir Oliver Dowden will hold on to his seat in Hertsmere by a hugely reduced majority from the 21,313 he had in 2019.

The result are expected at about 03:30.

Mr Dowden was deputy prime minister and in the dissolution honours list of 2024 has been given a knighthood.

Image source, Michael McCann/BBC

Amy Holmes
Political reporter, BBC Three Counties

Not a big surprise to see the post-war new town 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.

Reform UK finish third, but with over 7,000 votes.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has lost his Welwyn Hatfield seat, beaten by Labour.

It makes him the most senior member of Rishi Sunak's cabinet to lose their seat tonight.

In his concession speech, he says it's been a "privilege" to serve the constituency - and that "what is crystal clear to me tonight is not so much that Labour won this election, but rather the Conservatives have lost it".

The party has forgotten the "fundamental rule of politics: people don't vote for divided parties," he adds.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News, Buckinghamshire

Image source, Matt Souster/BBC

Who needs words when you have a photo?

The expression on a Tory supporter at the Milton Keynes North count possibly reflects the thoughts and feelings of many other Conservatives up and down the country, if the exit polls and predictions for a Labour landslide and a blue wipe-out are correct.

Holly Nichols
BBC News, Hitchin

Labour supporters for the Hitchin constituency are passing the time by huddling together on the floor to eat a McDonalds.

We can not confirm if they are "lovin' it".

Image source, Holly Nichols/BBC