News / Politics
Tories and Labour take a battering at EU elections
Three Brexit Party MEPs now represent Bristol and the South West in Brussels.
The Conservatives, Labour and UKIP lost all of their seats in the region; with the Green Party in Bristol winning more than a third of the votes cast.
The new South West MEPs are:
is needed now More than ever
- Ann Widdecombe, Brexit Party
- James Glancy, Brexit Party
- Christina Jordan, Brexit Party
- Caroline Voaden, Lib Dem
- Martin Horwood, Lib Dem
- Molly Scott Cato, Green
On accepting her new seat as an MEP, Tory grandee Widdecombe, who was born in Bath, said: “Tonight reaffirms the vote of 2016, because there is only one reason for voting for the Brexit Party and that is if you wanted a Brexit.
“Therefore we will go forward and achieve that. When we go to Brussels we will say that because of our showing in these elections and the fact that we so clearly speak for the people, that we want a role in the negotiations, that is what we will be asking for.”
In Bristol, remain-supporting parties dominated the European election results.
The Lib Dem vote surged from its 2014 position, increasing the vote by more than 20,000 votes in Bristol, more than 12,000 more than the current ruling Labour Party.
Lib Dem spokesman Stephen Williams said: “It’s been a fantastic result for the Liberal Democrats in Bristol, the South West and across the country.
“We campaigned in these elections with a simple message that a vote for us is a vote to stop Brexit. We have seen our vote share increase dramatically and we are undoubtedly the largest remain force in British politics.
“The Labour Party has been pushed into third nationally and fourth in Bristol. It’s clear their pro-Brexit message has driven voters away in our city. Bristol says bollocks to Brexit and the Lib Dems are leading that charge.”
The Green Party won the vote in Bristol with a 35.1 per share, and in the South West region came third beating the Labour and Conservative vote combined.
Speaking after her reelection as Green MEP for the South West, Molly Scott Cato said: “The huge increase in the Green vote where we beat the votes of Labour and the Conservatives combined shows that people across the region are disillusioned with two-party politics and are turning to the Greens because of our passion for Europe and our determination to stop Brexit through a People’s vote.”
Bristol results:
Green: 35.1% (+15.8)
Liberal Democrats: 22.5% (+12.6)
Brexit Party: 18.6% (+18.6)
Labour: 13.9% (-13.0)
Conservative: 4.7% (-13.8)
Change UK: 2.3% (+2.3)
UKIP: 2.3% (-20.3)
Main photo of Ann Widdecombe courtesy of Sky News
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