It’s as you were in South East Cambridgeshire after Conservative candidate Lucy Frazer was re-elected as Member of Parliament this morning (June 9).
Ms Frazer claimed 33,601 votes – an increase of 4.9 per cent from her victory in 2015 – 16,158 ahead of Labour rival, Huw Jones. He received 17,443 votes, while Lucy Nethsingha of the Liberal Democrats received 11,958.
The Conservative candidate’s re-election was greeted with cheers at the Ross Peers Sports Centre in Soham after returning officer, John Hill, made the declaration shortly after 4.30am.
The barrister’s win will have undoubtedly had have the gloss taken off of it, however, following her party’s disastrous performance across the country.
Ms Frazer often cut a concerned figure during the six-hour count in Soham, pacing up and down and even refusing to speak to the media until the result had been announced.
But she was all smiles during her winning speech, saying: “I went into politics to make a difference and I’ve learnt that over the past two years it is absolutely possible to do so.
“Sometimes it’s difficult, sometimes you think it is impossible and sometimes it takes a long time but it is possible to do so and I am absolutely honoured and delighted to be able to continue with the work I have been doing over the last two years.”
Liberal Democrat candidate, Lucy Nethsingha, said: “I think that while we have a substantial Conservative majority in South East Cambridgeshire, the debate in the country and particularly about further cuts has not been so clear and I will certainly be continuing the fight I have been having for the last two years to try and make sure we do not have any more austerity in South East Cambridgeshire.”
Labour’s Huw Jones said he was pleased with his party’s performance overall, and believes that it can have a bigger influence in Cambridgeshire in years to come, while also paying tribute to Jo Cox on the anniversary of her death.
“I think Labour can start to make inroads in Cambridgeshire,” he said.
“I think we can all remember, once the arguments have settled, that we have more in common than what divides us, especially as we approach the anniversary of Jo Cox’s death.”
• Full results:
Lucy FRAZER (Conservative): 33,601
Huw JONES (Labour): 17,443
Lucy NETHSINGHA (Liberal Democrats): 11,958
Turn out: 73.4 per cent
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