Tory time as voters go blue
Times
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Tory time as voters go blue MID NORFOLK
On a dramatic election night, the Conservative party took the spoils as three MPs from our region were elected. Elizabeth Truss has held her seat in South West Norfolk and increased her majority by more than 1,700 votes. The Conservative minister for Defra thanked her campaign team and her mother - who was at Lynnsport in King’s Lynn to hear the result - during her acceptance speech. She said: “I am extremely honoured and humbled to again be elected as
MP for South West Norfolk. “This is a great part of the country and the last five years have been a fulfilling, interesting and enjoyable time.” She also took a moment to congratulate fellow Conservative winner Chloe Smith, who was confirmed as taking Norwich North just moments before. She took 25,515 votes - 1,762 more
than her haul in 2010. UKIP candidate Paul Smyth managed the biggest increase in votes, increasing his party’s share by 8,593 to 11,654. But Liberal Democrat candidate Rupert Moss-Eccardt continued a woeful night for his party by losing 8,396 votes from 2010. He ended up with 2,217 votes. Sandra Walmsley, Green, saw her vote rise to 2,075, up nearly 1,200 from 2010. And Labour candidate Peter Smith saw his share of the vote drop, taking 8,649 compared to 9,119 in 2010. The constituency turnout was 65.3pc, with 50,312 votes cast.
TRUSS AND HANCOCK CABINET ROLES Elizabeth Truss and Matthew Hancock, have been given Cabinet posts by David Cameron. Ms Truss, MP for South West Norfolk, retained her job as Secretary of State
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs after a series of announcements by the Prime Minister’s office on Monday. Mr Hancock gets a new role, being named as Minister for Cabinet Office
and Paymaster General, having previously served as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Energy. George Freeman was appointed a joint health and business minister.
WEST SUFFOLK Matthew Hancock regained his West Suffolk seat with a majority of nearly 15,000 votes. UKIP’s Julian Flood came second to Mr Hancock, with 10,700 votes to the Conservative’s 25,684. Voter turnout was up 0.4% since 2010 to 64.9% and Labour’s Michael Jefferys came third with 8,604 votes. Mr Hancock MP, who was standing for the second time in the constituency, said afterwards: “I am delighted that 25,000 people in west Suffolk placed their trust in the Conservatives. “I am humbled to be able to represent the people of West Suffolk and now I will get on with job of ensuring a strong economy and fighting for my constituents.” The turnout was described as disappointing by many candidates, with Mr Jefferys joining the Green Party’s Niall Pettitt in criticising the “extremely poor” numbers. A despondent Mr Jefferys, said: “We need to look at ourselves and work out why so many people do not bother to vote.”
Mr Flood said that it was a good start, as he plans to stand again at the next election. The Suffolk County Councillor added: “Today is a result to build on. We have come on leaps and bounds since 2010 when we got just 6pc of the vote.” Fourth placed Liberal Democrat, Elfreda Tealby-Watson, with 2,465 votes, left long before the count finished. The fifth placed Mr Pettitt, who earned 1,779 votes, called for electoral reform after the result came in. He said: “More than two thirds of the electorate are not being represented in West Suffolk. The Green Party will continue to campaign for a more proportional system.”
RE-ELECTED: Matthew Hancock
• What do you think of the election results? Let us know by emailing tbw. [email protected] or you can write a letter to Thetford and Brandon Times, King’s House, King Street, Thetford, IP24 2AP. • You can also call our Thetford office on 01842 752510.
Conservative George Freeman held his Mid Norfolk seat by a huge majority of 17, 276. Mr Freeman was a strong favourite to retain the seat he won with a 13,856 majority in 2010. He secured 27,206 votes, more than half of those cast. Speaking at the Mid Norfolk count, at Dereham Leisure Centre, moments after the result was declared, Mr Freeman said: “I am overwhelmed and hugely honoured by the scale of the vote tonight. “I think it is an endorsement of both our local campaign and my commitment to always put the constituency first, plus Mid Norfolk’s confidence in the Conservative government’s long term plan to put this area and our country on the road to real prosperity. “I am particularly thrilled at that result in the face of the challenge from four other candidates and particularly the predictions of UKIP’s breakthrough which did not transpire. “The people of Mid Norfolk have overwhelmingly voted for decent, compassionate Conservatism. “After a weekend of sleep the hard work begins on Monday to continue to secure investment in modern communications and local jobs and fight for the more local model of development that I have set out
through the Norfolk Way.” UKIP’s Anna Coke received the second highest number of votes – 9,930, just ahead of Labour’s Harry Clarke, who was third with 9,585. Liberal Democrat Paul Speed was fourth with 3,300 votes, with the Green Party’s Simeon Jackson fifth with 2,191. Mr Freeman had spoken during his campaign on his efforts to secure high speed broadband to Mid Norfolk and told voters he had “led the charge” on upgrading infrastructure, helping to secure the dualling of the A11 and bringing David Cameron to Dereham to announce the £300m dualling of the A47.
MID NORFOLK RESULTS RESULT George Freeman (Conservative) 27,206, Harry Clarke (Labour) 9,585, Anna Coke (UKIP)
9,930, Paul Speed (Lib Dem) 3,300, Simeon Jackson (Green) 2,191. Turnout 67.8pc.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Tory time as voters go blue MID NORFOLK
On a dramatic election night, the Conservative party took the spoils as three MPs from our region were elected. Elizabeth Truss has held her seat in South West Norfolk and increased her majority by more than 1,700 votes. The Conservative minister for Defra thanked her campaign team and her mother - who was at Lynnsport in King’s Lynn to hear the result - during her acceptance speech. She said: “I am extremely honoured and humbled to again be elected as
MP for South West Norfolk. “This is a great part of the country and the last five years have been a fulfilling, interesting and enjoyable time.” She also took a moment to congratulate fellow Conservative winner Chloe Smith, who was confirmed as taking Norwich North just moments before. She took 25,515 votes - 1,762 more
than her haul in 2010. UKIP candidate Paul Smyth managed the biggest increase in votes, increasing his party’s share by 8,593 to 11,654. But Liberal Democrat candidate Rupert Moss-Eccardt continued a woeful night for his party by losing 8,396 votes from 2010. He ended up with 2,217 votes. Sandra Walmsley, Green, saw her vote rise to 2,075, up nearly 1,200 from 2010. And Labour candidate Peter Smith saw his share of the vote drop, taking 8,649 compared to 9,119 in 2010. The constituency turnout was 65.3pc, with 50,312 votes cast.
TRUSS AND HANCOCK CABINET ROLES Elizabeth Truss and Matthew Hancock, have been given Cabinet posts by David Cameron. Ms Truss, MP for South West Norfolk, retained her job as Secretary of State
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs after a series of announcements by the Prime Minister’s office on Monday. Mr Hancock gets a new role, being named as Minister for Cabinet Office
and Paymaster General, having previously served as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Energy. George Freeman was appointed a joint health and business minister.
WEST SUFFOLK Matthew Hancock regained his West Suffolk seat with a majority of nearly 15,000 votes. UKIP’s Julian Flood came second to Mr Hancock, with 10,700 votes to the Conservative’s 25,684. Voter turnout was up 0.4% since 2010 to 64.9% and Labour’s Michael Jefferys came third with 8,604 votes. Mr Hancock MP, who was standing for the second time in the constituency, said afterwards: “I am delighted that 25,000 people in west Suffolk placed their trust in the Conservatives. “I am humbled to be able to represent the people of West Suffolk and now I will get on with job of ensuring a strong economy and fighting for my constituents.” The turnout was described as disappointing by many candidates, with Mr Jefferys joining the Green Party’s Niall Pettitt in criticising the “extremely poor” numbers. A despondent Mr Jefferys, said: “We need to look at ourselves and work out why so many people do not bother to vote.”
Mr Flood said that it was a good start, as he plans to stand again at the next election. The Suffolk County Councillor added: “Today is a result to build on. We have come on leaps and bounds since 2010 when we got just 6pc of the vote.” Fourth placed Liberal Democrat, Elfreda Tealby-Watson, with 2,465 votes, left long before the count finished. The fifth placed Mr Pettitt, who earned 1,779 votes, called for electoral reform after the result came in. He said: “More than two thirds of the electorate are not being represented in West Suffolk. The Green Party will continue to campaign for a more proportional system.”
RE-ELECTED: Matthew Hancock
• What do you think of the election results? Let us know by emailing tbw. [email protected] or you can write a letter to Thetford and Brandon Times, King’s House, King Street, Thetford, IP24 2AP. • You can also call our Thetford office on 01842 752510.
Conservative George Freeman held his Mid Norfolk seat by a huge majority of 17, 276. Mr Freeman was a strong favourite to retain the seat he won with a 13,856 majority in 2010. He secured 27,206 votes, more than half of those cast. Speaking at the Mid Norfolk count, at Dereham Leisure Centre, moments after the result was declared, Mr Freeman said: “I am overwhelmed and hugely honoured by the scale of the vote tonight. “I think it is an endorsement of both our local campaign and my commitment to always put the constituency first, plus Mid Norfolk’s confidence in the Conservative government’s long term plan to put this area and our country on the road to real prosperity. “I am particularly thrilled at that result in the face of the challenge from four other candidates and particularly the predictions of UKIP’s breakthrough which did not transpire. “The people of Mid Norfolk have overwhelmingly voted for decent, compassionate Conservatism. “After a weekend of sleep the hard work begins on Monday to continue to secure investment in modern communications and local jobs and fight for the more local model of development that I have set out
through the Norfolk Way.” UKIP’s Anna Coke received the second highest number of votes – 9,930, just ahead of Labour’s Harry Clarke, who was third with 9,585. Liberal Democrat Paul Speed was fourth with 3,300 votes, with the Green Party’s Simeon Jackson fifth with 2,191. Mr Freeman had spoken during his campaign on his efforts to secure high speed broadband to Mid Norfolk and told voters he had “led the charge” on upgrading infrastructure, helping to secure the dualling of the A11 and bringing David Cameron to Dereham to announce the £300m dualling of the A47.
MID NORFOLK RESULTS RESULT George Freeman (Conservative) 27,206, Harry Clarke (Labour) 9,585, Anna Coke (UKIP)
9,930, Paul Speed (Lib Dem) 3,300, Simeon Jackson (Green) 2,191. Turnout 67.8pc.
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