Bbc

Reform UK's Richard Tice elected in Boston and Skegness

B.Lee1 days ago
Sausage sandwiches en route as wait continues in BeverleyJames Hoggarth BBC Radio Humberside

There's no indication of when we're likely to get a result in the Beverley and Holderness constituency.

Currently there are a lot of tired and weary candidates and their supporters slumped in chairs, clinging on to their hot drinks as we hear the gentle, almost birdsong-like, sound of papers being counted.

And people begin to arrive for morning Aqua Fit.

Perhaps an indication of the time this could take is that East Riding Council staff have promised sausage sarnies for everyone here within half an hour.

Slashed Conservative majorities in LincolnshireSharon Edwards Political Reporter, BBC Radio Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire went into this election with seven Conservative MPs. It has emerged with six - and that includes the new seat of Rutland and Stamford.

We now have Reform UK in Boston and Skegness and Labour in Lincoln.

Those Conservatives that survived do so with vastly reduced majorities.

Conservative majorities in Gainsborough, Louth and Horncastle, South Holland and the Deepings, Sleaford and North Hykeham and Grantham and Bourne have been slashed dramatically.

For example, Sir John Hayes' majority in South Holland and The Deepings has gone from 30,838 to 6,856 (and Reform UK came second).

In Louth and Horncastle, Victoria Atkins' majority went from 18,868 to 5,506, in Sleaford and North Hykeham, Dr Caroline Johnson's majority went from 32,565 to 6,864 and in Grantham and Bourne Gareth Davies now has a majority of 4,496 - down from the 26,003 he had in his previous Grantham and Stamford constituency.

Davis not in the running for Tory leaderLinsey Smith BBC News

The MP for Goole and Pocklington, Sir David Davis, has said he will not take part in any Conservative leadership contest.

"I want to make sure my party finds the new ideas, finds the new solutions to these new difficult problems. I don't want to be tied up in front benches and cabinets and all that sort of administrative nonsense."

Victoria Atkins - possible future Conservative leader?Suzy Lawson BBC News

Despite the exit poll saying this seat was "too close to call", Victoria Atkins has held her Louth and Horncastle seat with quite a comfortable majority. With many other senior Conservatives predicted to lose their seats, could she be a potential future leader?

Asked if she would be launching a leadership bid, Ms Atkins said: "Letâ€TMs see what happens with everybody else.

"Itâ€TMs still very early in the morning, weâ€TMll see what results come in, but itâ€TMs a huge privilege to be elected by the people of Louth and Horncastle."

Bad luck to predict outcomes - Sir David DavisLinsey Smith BBC News

Veteran Conservative Sir David Davis is in the house here in Goole. But he refuses to be drawn on the result here, as counting is drawing to a close.

"Itâ€TMs bad luck to predict outcomes", he tells me.

But you donâ€TMt have to be a rocket scientist to see that itâ€TMs a two-horse race between Labour and the Conservatives. The piles of voting slips on their tables are dwarfing that of the other four candidates.

But Mr Davis, like his entourage wearing blue rosettes, is acutely aware of the national picture. They are gathered around phones refreshing the BBC News website. "I keep hearing terrible news from the rest of the country," he says.

Dr Caroline Johnson worried about Labour 'super majority'Leanne Crawford BBC Radio Lincolnshire

Dr Caroline Johnson has been re-elected as the MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham after beating Labourâ€TMs Hanif Khan by 4,346 votes.

Conservative activists will take heart from this on a night when Labour looks set for a landslide victory.

Dr Johnson has represented the constituency since the 2016 by-election, but has seen her majority reduced by 28,219 votes. She didnâ€TMt appear jubilant as the declaration was read out â€" you wouldnâ€TMt guess she had just held her seat on a difficult night for her party.

Afterwards Dr Johnson expressed "great concern" over what she described as a Labour "super majority".

"Iâ€TMm delighted and honoured that the people of Sleaford and North Hykeham have once again put their trust in me to represent them in parliament.

"Iâ€TMm very sorry to see the national picture â€" clearly the Conservative party has lost the trust of many voters and itâ€TMs important that we rebuild that trust.

Benjamin Jackson of Reform came third with 10,484 votes and Robert Oates of the Lincolnshire Independents came fourth with 3,032 votes.

Voter turnout was down by 5.74% since the last general election.

Nearly 49,000 people, roughly two-thirds of those eligible to vote, went to the polling stations across the area on Thursday.

'Served under a Labour government before'Amber Macey BBC Lincolnshire

Sir John Hayes, the newly elected MP for South Holland and The Deepings said he was honoured and flattered to be elected on what he described as "a very difficult night for the Conservative party".

He added: "Iâ€TMve served under a Labour government before so itâ€TMs not unfamiliar to me.I will continue to work hard for my constituents and make a strong case for the Conservatives in the House of Commons."

Reform UK's Richard Tice reveals pride at becoming MPRichard Madden BBC News

Reform UK chairman Richard Tice has described taking one of the safest Conservative seats in the country as the "proudest day of his life".

Conservative Matt Warman had enjoyed a majority of more than 20,000 following the 2019 election, but was beaten into second place.

Speaking after his victory, Mr Tice said it had been "quite extraordinary" for his party.

The full breakdown of the Boston and Skegness results can be found here .

0 Comments
0