The Liberal Democrats have pulled off a stunning result in the Chesham and Amersham by-election, overcoming a 16,223 Tory majority to win the seat with an 8,028 majority of their own. The Lib Dems had earlier claimed they were 'neck and neck' going into this election, a familiar tactic of theirs. In Buckinghamshire on Thursday they had in fact underplayed their potential. Sarah Green's victory has been largely put down to local anger over HS2, which will run directly through the constituency.
The Lib Dems now have 12 MPs at Westminster, a boost to a party that has not had much to shout about since going into government with the Tories eleven years ago.
The Tories will be licking their wounds having lost a seat they had held since its creation in 1974, but the result will not have given Labour much confidence ahead of the Batley and Spen by-election in a fortnight. They finished an embarrassing fourth place behind the Greens and lost their deposit. The Lib Dems' fellow Remainers in Rejoin EU finished last.
Chesham & Amersham by-election
Sarah Green (LDem) 21,517 (56.7%) +30.4%
Peter Fleet (Con) 13,489 (35.5%) -19.9%
Carolyne Culver (Green) 1,480 (3.9%) -1.6%
Natasa Panteli (Lab) 622 (1.6%) -11.2%
Alex Wilson (Reform) 414 (1.1%) New
Carla Gregory (Breakthrough) 197 (0.5%) New
Adrian Oliver (Freedom) 134 (0.4%) New
Brendan Donnelly (Rejoin) 101 (0.3%) New
Chesham & Amersham 2019 general election
Cheryl Gillan (Con) 30,850 (55.4%) -5.3%
Dan Gallagher (LDem) 14,627 (26.3%) +13.3%
Matt Turmaine (Lab) 7,166 (12.9%) -7.7%
Alan Booth (Green) 3,042 (5.5%) +2.5%
The by-election was held following the death of the sitting Conservative MP Cheryl Gillan.
