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Guildford Election As It Happened – Angela Richardson Secures Conservative Victory
Published on: 13 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 14 Dec, 2019
Angela Richardson the new MP for Guildford
By Martin Giles
Conservative Angela Richardson is the new MP for Guildford. She won by a much-reduced majority of only 3,337 votes from Lib Dem Zoe Franklin. The Conservative Party’s majority at the 2017 General Election was over 17,000 and its vote share fell by nearly 10% to 45%.
In her victory address, Ms Richardson paid a warm tribute to Anne Milton, one of the candidates she defeated, who stood as an Independent and who served as Guildford’s Conservative MP for nearly 14 years until she became an Independent in September. She also paid tribute to the other candidates.
The Lib Dem surge was large. Their vote share increased by 15% but with the Remain vote being split between the Lib Dems, Labour and Anne Milton it was not enough to overtake the Tories.
As expected, the Labour vote was squeezed by the two front-running parties and their vote share decreased by 11.3% to 4,515 votes from 10,545 in 2017. They just pipped Anne Milton for third-place.
But John Morris of the Peace Party, probably fighting his last election, had cause for some satisfaction. His vote increased from 205 to 483, probably boosted by disillusioned voters looking for a home.
Full result:
Guildford General Election result 2019 – Wikipedia
This is how the count unfolded.
22.30pm (December 12) The mood at the Guildford count at Spectrum Leisure Centre is subdued tonight. Unless the exit poll has got it seriously wrong we are heading for a Conservative victory nationally and the Guildford result will not be crucial.
But the local result looks close, according to seasoned observers, and we could still yet see a Lib Dem victory here.
Sue Hackman
Sue Hackman, manager of the Labour campaign avoided questions on whether Jeremy Corbyn or Brexit was the problem in their campaign. “We are naturally disappointed with the predicted results,” she said.
“There’s been tension in the air, especially in the past two weeks. We have had organised harassment by telephone and by individuals. Our switchboard was blocked by one abusive caller who just kept calling and one of our members has had abusive literature pushed through his letterbox.
“Voters were presented with a range of policies but no strategy to implement them. The quality of the campaign was poor. the amount of Lib Dem leaflets was embarrassing.
“I take from this election that the public is jaded. We need cleaner, more sincere politics.”
John Morris
John Morris, the Peace Party candidate, said: “I suppose it was expected. The Tory leader has put himself across as the best of the three party leaders. It doesn’t say much for the other two.”
Independent Anne Milton added: “If this election has been all about Brexit, it will be interesting to see the vote share.
“What I take from this election is that we need voting reform.” Reflecting that the first-past-the-post system has favoured the main two parties, she added: “But turkeys don’t vote for Christmas.”
The two leading candidates, Conservative Angela Richardson and Lib Dem Zoe Franklin have not yet arrived.
The scene at the count tonight in Spectrum Leisure Centre
1.39am (December 13) Angela Richardson reported to have arrived.
Anne Rouse
1.46 am Anne Rouse the Labour candidate says: “The main issue has been Brexit. People haven’t been concerned with the other policies. I feel sad about those who would be helped by Labour policies.
“About Jeremy Corbyn, I fundamentally agree with his socialist roots. The right-wing media has given a perception about him that people just accept.
“One young man on the doorstep said that he was concerned with Corbyn’s association with the IRA. That man was too young to know anything about the IRA.”
Ms Rouse added: “Maybe we could have done more in the North. I am shocked by the number of seats the Tories are predicted to get.
“I also feel sad about the young people’s vote. They are worried about the climate and the Tories will be just more of the same.”
2.02am Still no sign of Zoe Franklin. Angela Richardson observing count. Still looking close.
2.05am Anne Milton seen talking to Anne Rouse and her Labour team.
Anne Milton taking to the Labour team
2.06am Conservative Angela Richardson says: “It’s too early to say but if the exit polls are correct, it is the firmness of the approach Boris has taken with Brexit. That has been evident in this constituency as well.
Angela Richardson talking to former Tory borough councillor Nils Christiansen who has been supporting Anne Milton.
“Anne Milton’s position changed. She was not initially for a second referendum or no-deal. Now she is advocating another referendum. She has equivocated and that has had an effect here.
“There was a clear choice, Lib Dems wanted to revoke article 50 and Labour didn’t come out clearly, they sat on the fence.
“The Labour campaign had its problems as well. The anti-semitism criticism didn’t help. Tories acted faster on the Islamaphobia. But those issues probably didn’t have much effect in Guildford.”
2.23am Zoe Franklin arrives. Declines to comment.
2.38am Turnout announced as 75.65%, up slightly from the 74% turnout in 2017 despite the winter weather. Tories looking happy. Lib Dems glum.
2.45am Declaration now expected around 3.30am.
3.05am Feeling that Conservative victory here looking increasingly likely.
This was the 2017 result for comparison.
03.30am Conservatives win.
Angela Richardson, Con, 26,317
Zoe Franklin, Lib Dem, 22,980
Anne Rouse, Lab, 4,515
Anne Milton, Ind 4,356
John Morris, Peace, 483
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Responses to Guildford Election As It Happened – Angela Richardson Secures Conservative Victory
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Jules Cranwell
December 13, 2019 at 6:32 am
With Anne Milton jumping ship and splitting the Tory vote this was the Lib Dem’s to lose.
Zoe Franklin can lay the blame squarely at the door of Caroline Reeves, and her betrayal over the Local Plan.
Johan Ingles - Le Nobel
December 17, 2019 at 2:53 pm
“With Anne Milton jumping ship and splitting the Tory vote…” I’d offer another way of looking at this, perhaps with the benefit of hindsight.
Observation 1. In terms of local voting history and demographics, Guildford isn’t a Labour voting area, so the local vote was always likely to settle on the political barometer somewhere between LD and Cons (observation #1).
Observation 2. Locally, Lab, LD & Indy candidates were all less than enthusiastic about Brexit, whereas Cons was unified. If anything, it was the local remain vote that split.
The unpredictable variables for me were a. how much would Indy votes eat into Cons, and b. how much difference would student tactical voting make in the end.
I’m not sure that it’s especially constructive saying this candidate said this, allegedly, or decrying winners because of hairstyle.
Stuart Barnes
December 13, 2019 at 8:33 am
As our greatest PM once said: “Just rejoice, rejoice, rejoice”.
John Perkins
December 13, 2019 at 12:57 pm
It’s understandable that Anne Rouse is disappointed at losing half her support to the Lib Dems but she shouldn’t vent her frustration on the young man on the doorstep.
David Pillinger
December 13, 2019 at 1:21 pm
Congratulations to Angela Richardson. We trust she will be as good and attentive an MP as Anne Milton and that she will act displaying an independent mind, as her predecessor did, to help promote the very European-focussed businesses we have, and the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Guildfordians.
I am sorry to hear about the allegations of underhand practices by, I am sure, a minority or participants in the campaign. I had no idea this sport of thing went on in Guildford.
Dave Middleton
December 13, 2019 at 5:16 pm
Labour candidate Anne Rouse says, “One young man on the doorstep said that he was concerned with Corbyn’s association with the IRA. That man was too young to know anything about the IRA.”
That remark couldn’t be more insulting and patronising.
You don’t need to have lived in the ’70s, ’80s & or ’90s to know about the atrocities committed by the IRA. You only need to be able to read a book or look at the internet.
Anne Rouse
December 13, 2019 at 11:15 pm
If I can just clarify the remark about the young man on the doorstep. I didn’t have a go at him or imply he was ignorant. I had a chat with him about his concerns and spoke to him at some length. We parted on good terms. The abridged version of my comment is misleading but I can assure you I would never be so rude as to vent frustration on the doorstep. Nor would I ever patronise anyone.
Anne Rouse was the Labour parliamentary candidate for Guildford.
Colin Cross
December 15, 2019 at 9:45 am
It is a sad reflection of the poor quality of party leadership on display in this election that we end up with the likes of bull in a china shop Boris.
The combined talents of Corbyn, Swinson and Farage really did not amount to much so we have, by default, ended up with a UK version of Trump, even down to the unusual hairstyling, or lack of.
A lot of very good candidates have suffered losses across the UK due to their association with this second-rate leadership on display across the board.
We have stooped to the depths of banality when phrases such as “Let’s get Brexit done” and “It’s oven-ready” win the day over the proper comment on the serious social and environmental issues we face.
Let us hope that next time around all the parties make better choices.
This is a personal reflection not made in my role as a borough councillor for Lovelace.
Adam Aaronson
December 16, 2019 at 8:51 pm
VHS has triumphed over Betamax?
David Smith
December 16, 2019 at 5:55 am
In response to Jules Cranwell, the result has absolutely nothing to do with Caroline Reeves (who supported what was a sensible Local Plan). If that was the case why did people support the Conservatives who drafted it?
Joe Troman
December 16, 2019 at 12:55 pm
I realise that many were hoping for an upset here, but personally I am delighted to see a Conservative MP elected, and congratulate Angela Richardson.
My only regret is that an entire forest must have been felled in order to produce the many Lib Dem leaflets that were posted through my letterbox on what seemed like a daily basis.
Stuart Barnes
December 16, 2019 at 1:56 pm
I suggest that the only people who were wishing for an upset here are those who oppose democracy.
I quote a great Irishman [Oscar Wilde] who said “One would need a heart of stone not to laugh”.
Valerie Thompson
December 16, 2019 at 5:25 pm
Does David Smith not remember the vigorous opposition of apparently staunch Conservative supporters to the Local Plan. At every turn there were protests and letters here, in The Dragon and in the Surrey Advertiser.
The vote for the Conservatives was nothing to do with local politics and all to do with keeping Corbyn out.