David Cameron may be back in 10 Downing Street today but things weren’t so straight forward for the Conservatives in London.
On London’s 73 seats, Labour won seven more than in 2010 with a total of 45.
The Tories lost six to end up with 27, while the Lib Dems national capitulation was echoed in the capital as they lost some big hitters to wind up with just one MP, Tom Brake in Carshalton and Wallington.
These are the ten biggest results and surprises from overnight:
Boris is Back
It’s not so much a surprise, but Boris Johnson is back Parliament. The Conservative London Mayor took 50 per cent of the vote to take victory in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. Bro-Jo won in Orpington too.
Cable-tied
At one stage in 2010, people thought Vince Cable would make a good chancellor. He’s been an MP since 1997 and was Business Secretary in the last Government but no more.
The people of Twickenham have voted in Tory Tania Mathias. The GP took 41 per cent of the vote to Cable’s 38 per cent.
Lib Dems lost their Ed
Miliband wasn’t the only Ed having a miserable night. Thanks to his result being one of the early ones, Ed Davey became the first cabinet member to lose his seat since 1997. His 7,560 vote majority in Kingston and Surbiton from 2010 vanished as Tory James Berry triumphed by 2,800.
Oh no, Natalie
While Caroline Lucas triumphed down in Sussex, Green party leader Natalie Bennett stood in Holborn and St Pancras – and got humbled.
Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer romped to victory for Labour with 53 per cent of the vote. Bennett limped into third with 13 per cent.
Most marginal?
In the last election, Hampstead and Kilburn was the second tightest seat with just 42 votes carrying retiring MP Glenda Jackson to victory for Labour. The party extended their lead with Tulip Siddiq beating Conservative rival Simon Marcus by just over 1,000 votes.
32 years and out
After more than three decades as an MP, former Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes has lost his seat. He lost in Bermondsey and Old Southwark by 4,489 votes to Labour’s Neil Coyle.
Bye, Lynne!
Another Liberal Democrat big hitter to lose her seat was Lynne Featherstone on Hornsey and Wood Green. Catherine West, Labour, won 29,417 votes (51 per cent) to Featherstone’s 18,359 (32 per cent).
Sweet victory for Cadbury
Labour didn’t claim too many seats from the Tories but one place they did was in Brentford and Isleworth.
Ruth Cadbury took advantage of a collapse in the Lib Dem vote to take a victory over the sitting Tory MP, Mary Macleod by just 465 votes.
Labour’s share in the constituency grew by nearly 7,000 votes while Mcleod for the Conservatives also took more than 4,000 extra votes than in 2010. This was due to the Lib Dems shedding a massive 10,500 votes.
Tight night in Ealing Central and Acton
It was a tense night at the Ealing Central and Acton count, with Labour taking a very narrow victory to steal the seat from the Conservatives.
Sociology lecturer Rupa Huq, who is also the older sister of former Blue Peter presenter Konnie, scored an upset with a win by 274 votes over incumbent Angie Bray.
Poised to lead?
We don’t yet know what’s going to happen with the Labour leadership, but Chuka Umunna may well be a front runner if there is a race.
Unlike shadow chancellor Ed Balls, Umunna is well positioned having won his seat in Streatham with 53 per cent of the vote.
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