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Tories put to the Sword across the south

PA Media Penny Mordaunt holding a sword at the coronation of King Charles IIIPA Media
As leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt carried a sword at the Coronation - but she has now lost her Portsmouth North seat to Labour

The Conservative Party has lost a number of constituencies across the south of England.

Most prominently, Penny Mordaunt losing to Labour in Portsmouth North - a bellwether seat - on an 18% swing.

Richard Drax succumbed to the red tide in Dorset South, while down the coast in Bournemouth East Tobias Ellwood had hoped for a personal vote that failed to appear - as Labour ousted him from the seat.

Seats the Tories once held returned to the fold in places like Eastleigh and Winchester, and their yellow bird hatched in a whole nest of constituencies around Oxfordshire.

PA A close-up of Tobias Ellwood, with short brown hair, stubble and glasses, wearing a dark blue suit and white shirt. He has a glum look on his facePA
Tobias Ellwood lost his Bournemouth East seat to Labour

Ms Mordaunt bravely congratulated her Labour opponent Amanda Martin saying: “Democracy is never wrong.”

The cost of living meant those people “feared the future", she continued, adding her party had "failed" to honour the trust put in them.

Across the Solent Bob Seely lost to Labour on an even larger swing of almost 20%.

Another southern military bastion fell to Labour in Aldershot, where Conservative MPs have been returned without a break at every election since 1918.

There seemed no loyalty for Conservatives from any wing of the party.

PA Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey with his mouth wide open and surrounded by his supporters at the London Art Bar in central London watching the results of the 2024 General ElectionPA
Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats will be rooted in the south of England

Victorious Labour candidates took seats across the south never considered possible, and in their victory speeches promised to keep change coming, with a new way of doing government, more open and inclusive.

And Liberal Democrats will be there in numbers to hold them to that promise. Sir Ed Davey’s party will be rooted in the south of England.

There were Green votes too, especially in areas like Reading and the Isle of Wight where they had the volunteers on the ground.

Perhaps in the only policy they share with Reform they will call for a fairer voting system.

But it was the red tide that swept into so many blue corners of the south that will shape our government and the future of the country.

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