PPC Maguire with medal

Epsom and Ewell’s new MP and new Party

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The 2024 general election count for Epsom & Ewell was held last night at the Epsom Downs racecourse from 10pm to the early hours today.

This year’s election introduced new boundaries for the constituency of Epsom and Ewell, with the addition of wards from Ashtead and Leatherhead.

With the vote closing at 10pm, the official ballot count revealed a voter turnout of 70%. (2019: 81,138. 73.3%)

Mrs Jackie King, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s CEO and Returning Officer, revealed the official result at about 06:15 with the results as follows:

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT: Helen Maguire:

  • Votes 20,674
  • Share 37.9%
  • Share change +13.7
  • 2019: 13,946 (23.5%)

CONSERVATIVE: Mhairi Fraser:

  • Votes 16,988
  • Share 31.2%
  • Share change -22.4
  • 2019: 31,819 (53.5%)

LABOUR: Mark Todd:

  • Votes 8,325
  • Share 15.3%
  • Share change -1.5
  • 2019: 10,226 (17.2%)

REFORM UK: Mayuran Senthilnathan:

  • Votes 5,795
  • Share 10.6%
  • Share change +10.6

GREEN: Stephen McKenna:

  • Votes 1,745
  • Share 3.2%
  • Share change -0.1
  • 2019: 2,047 (3.5%)

TRUE and FAIR: Gina Miller:

  • Votes 845
  • Share 1.6%
  • Share change +1.6

Social Democratic Party: Damon Young:

  • Votes 153
  • Share 0.3%
  • Share change +0.3

Each candidate was accompanied by a fairly large cohort, all working endlessly to keep up with a general sense of how well their party was doing nationally. While the rest of the UK’s election results unfolded on TV screens, mixed reactions were circulating. However, it was the Labour corner with the most cheers throughout, with a landslide exit poll for the Labour party unfolding into a reality. The announcement of a Labour government was issued around 4:55 am.

Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat) said a priority for Epsom and Ewell was getting the new hospital built that had been promised for 10 years. On the election campaign she said “There are so many pollsters saying different things it has been difficult for voters to know what has been going on. It brings up the question whether we should have polls during election campaigns. If we had proportional representation we wouldn’t need polls anyway.”

Responding to the result Stephen McKenna of the Green Party said “With a super-majority is it less likely that the new Government will work with other parties to get proportional representation and introduce the Green policies the country needs. We hope the new MP preserves the Green Belt and makes sure we have a housing policy that works for everyone and sorts out the NHS locally.”

Mayuran Senthilnathan of Reform UK said “The first past the post system does not serve the interests of this country so I hope the constituents of Epsom and Ewell get behind a campaign for proportional representation.”

Gina Miller of True and Fair said of the future of Epsom and Ewell “I hope the Green Belt is preserved and Epsom and Ewell becomes a place where health and well-being come first”. On the national picture she said “I think the share of the vote for Reform UK is quite terrifying. The centre parties need to start listening to people and deliverying for them.” On her local campaign experience Gina Miller said she was shocked by the negative campaigning that had gone on. She called for regulation of campaign literature and tactical voting websites. “The bullying is something I never thought I would experience”.


Editorial:

Democracy at work? Or strange mathematics?

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