Conservatives wiped out by Labour in Derbyshire

County council boss congratulates LabourIsaac Ashe BBC Derby

Derbyshire County Council's Barry Lewis has given his reaction to the election result.

The leader of the Tory-led authority posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Weâ€TMve lost good Conservative MPs in Derbyshire.

"A terrible night for Conservatives nationally and Reform did monumental damage to our vote and handed a victory [to] Labour.

"Congratulations to Labour, theyâ€TMve a big responsibility with a majority of that scale and I hope they exercise it with care and grace."

Peerage confirmed for Margaret BeckettIsaac Ashe BBC Derby

Derby South's veteran MP Margaret Beckett will be leaving the House of Commons but she has told the BBC she has been given a peerage so will not be leaving politics.

Speaking after her seat was held by Labour's Baggy Shanker, Beckett said: "I feel very pleased, it means that I will still have some roots in Westminster."

She continued: "I wanted to be able to do something in politics without having to stay in the House of Commons.

"I think it's time to move on from there. I'm delighted that my successor has been elected and I'm very grateful for being given this opportunity."

First elected in 1974, Beckett was the first woman to serve as foreign secretary and the first woman to briefly serve as Labour leader.

Originally elected in Lincoln, she has served as a Derby MP since 1983.

Campaign was kinder than 2019, says new MPIsaac Ashe BBC Derby

Bolsover's newly-elected MP Natalie Fleet, from Labour, says "I'm shocked, thrilled, excited, it's exciting to be the first female MP for Bolsover.

"2019 was tough, it felt very different. This time people have been very pleasant even when they haven't been voting for us, kind on the doors.

"I even took my 10-year-old daughter out canvassing with me which was just lovely.

"I have not taken this job on because it is easy. Nobody in the Labour party is under any illusion.

"The Tories have decimated public services, people who have never struggled before are struggling incredibly. But we do have a plan."

New North East Derbyshire MP has 'big plans'Kat Harbourne BBC Derby

Louise Jones, the new MP for North East Derbyshire, has been speaking to me about her win.

She said: "It's testament to all the hard work our team's put in. We knocked on thousands of doors and had conversations about the same thing.

"They wanted that change, they wanted to get our future back.

"We've got plans to get those 13,000 extra police officers, we've got plans to free up NHS space by getting people out of hospitals into social care settings. We've got big plans for our first 100 days."

Conservative Lee Rowley, who vacates his seat after seven years, told me: "The voters get to say and this is democracy.

"If I have in any tiny way been able to help North East Derbyshire to progress, to get better, I'll be happy."

Just one to go in DerbyshireJack Tymon BBC Derby

And then there was one…

Counting has all but stopped for Derbyshire Dales here in Wirksworth.

But I understand we are still a while away.

The only sign of movement is the High Sheriff of Derbyshire whoâ€TMs announcing the results has gone to don his ceremonial dress.

Meanwhile Conservative candidate Sarah Dines struggles to stifle a yawn as she patrols the tables where ballots are piled up.

One to go at Derby ArenaGeorge Torr Political reporter, BBC Derby

Mid Derbyshire's "going to be a while" we understand.

Weâ€TMve had a Labour gain in Derby North and a Labour hold in Derby South, but Mid Derbyshire Iâ€TMm told is "extremely close".

The Tories here have a majority of around 15,000. They stopped counting but theyâ€TMre piling up the votes. Could there be a recount?

Luke Gardiner the Conservative candidate is sat with a coffee and has just watched his boss, Rishi Sunak keep his seat in North Yorkshire.

A few muted claps from Tory activists. But they know itâ€TMs been a terrible night for the party.

Fiery contest in Derbyshire DalesJack Tymon BBC Derby

Rachel Elnaugh-Love, a former dragon on BBC series Dragon's Den, was an independent candidate in Derbyshire Dales.

She told the BBC: "It's looking really close, but my sense is Sarah Dines for the Conservative Party has just pipped the post over John Whitby of Labour.

"There's a lot of anger in the public about the way politics has gone.

"Cost of living is a big one, people are suffering but big corporations are making big profits. A lot of anger about things like sewage in the rivers.

"I've been speaking out for years now, I'm not a politician but it felt right to stand out and say you don't have to vote red or blue."