Wolverhampton General Election 2019 results: Key seats swing to Tories
It was devastation for Labour and celebration for the Tories as two Wolverhampton seats swung from red to blue.
See the full 2019 General Election results and reaction from Wolverhampton South West, Wolverhampton South East and Wolverhampton North East.
Wolverhampton South West - Conservative gain
Stuart Anderson, Conservatives - 19,864 (majority 1,663)
Eleanor Smith, Labour* - 18,203
Bart Ricketts, Liberal Democrat - 2,041
Leo Grandison, Brexit Party - 1,028
Turnout - 68 per cent
It promised to be one of the tightest election battles in the Black Country, and Wolverhampton South West did not disappoint.
Once the votes were counted, the Conservatives gained the seat from Labour, with Stuart Anderson edging home by 1,661 votes over Jeremy Corbyn’s candidate, Eleanor Smith.
In a seat where tactical voting had been expected to play a part, Lib Dem Bart Ricketts was third on 2,041 votes, while the Brexit Party’s Leo Grandison brought up the rear with 1,028.
What was the 2017 Wolverhampton South West election result?
Eleanor Smith, Labour* - 20,899 (majority 2,185)
Paul Uppal, Conservative - 18,714
Rob Jones, UKIP - 1,012
Sarah Quarmby, Liberal Democrat - 784
Andrea Cantrill, Green - 579
Jagmeet Singh, Independent - 358
Turnout - 71 per cent (42,461 out of electorate of 59,971)
Mr Anderson, a former soldier and councillor in Hereford, had moved to the city with his family to fight for the seat.
A Leave campaigner in the EU referendum, he had hoped his party’s pro-Brexit message would resonate with voters in the constituency.
He said: “I feel blown away, humble and delighted. The hard work starts straight away and we’ve already picked up some case work.
“I need to now learn the ropes in Westminster but I also want to do my very best for the people of Wolverhampton South West. I want to make sure they feel fully represented and not let down in any way. I’m absolutely delighted to be their representative.”
Ms Smith told the Express & Star: “This is politics, you win some, you lose some. I won in 2017 and I lost this time. As far as I’m concerned the people of Wolverhampton South West have embraced me and I didn’t lose by that much.
"My only concern now is my NHS but I believe that’s gone after what’s happened.”
As expected it was a close battle for the city seat. Mr Anderson just did enough, receiving 19,864 votes to see of Ms Smith who got 18,203.
Bart Rickets for the Lib Dems was third on 2,041 votes, while the Brexit Party’s Leo Grandison struggled to get support, trailing in last on 1,028. Both of them lost their deposits.
Wolverhampton South West was a Tory stronghold until 1997, with Enoch Powell holding it for more than two decades before Nicholas Budgen took over.
But the party has now only held the seat for five of the last 22 years, when Paul Uppal was victorious in 2010.
Wolverhampton North East - Conservative win
Jane Stevenson, Conservative - 17,722 (majority 4,080)
Emma Reynolds, Labour - 13,642*
Vishal Khatri, Brexit Party - 1,354
Richard Maxwell, Liberal Democrats - 960
Andrea Cantrill, Green Party - 603
Turnout - 56 per cent
The Conservatives took Wolverhampton North East for the first time in more than 30 years as Emma Reynolds lost her seat.
The battle was expected to be close but the gain for the Tories was one of the region’s shock results of the night.
Ms Reynolds had held the seat since 2010, but was defeated by Conservative Jane Stevenson.
The Labour candidate’s majority was 4,587 from 2017, but she saw it wiped out with a swing of more than 8,600 votes.
What was the 2017 Wolverhampton North East election result?
Emma Reynolds, Labour* - 19,282 (majority 4,587)
Sarah Macken, Conservative - 14,695
Graham Eardley, UKIP - 1,479
Ian Jenkins, Liberal Democrat - 570
Clive Wood - 482
Turnout: 60 per cent (36,593 out of electorate of 60,950)
Ms Reynolds is a former frontbencher who stood down when Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015, claiming he was disloyal to Labour and opposed the EU and Nato.
She raised a few eyebrows during this campaign after claiming in an interview with the E&S that Mr Corbyn had “integrity” and had the “best interests of the country at heart”.
Ms Stevenson, a councillor in Tettenhall, was making her first bid for parliament. She had been aiming to be the first Tory to take the seat since Maureen Hicks lost it to Labour’s Ken Purchase in 1992.
In a constituency where 69 per cent of people voted Leave in the EU referendum, the Tories believed they had a big chance of achieving the swing necessary to turn the seat blue.
Wolverhampton South East - Labour hold
Pat McFadden, Labour* - 15,522 (majority 1,235)
Ahmed Ejaz, Conservative - 14,287
Raj Singh Chaggar, Brexit Party - 2,094
Ruth Coleman-Taylor, Liberal Democrat - 1,019
Kathryn Gilbert, Green Party - 521
Turnout - 53 per cent
Labour’s Pat McFadden won in Wolverhampton South East for the fifth time – but saw his majority cut to just 1,235.
He ensured the seat stayed red by seeing off Conservative candidate Ahmed Ejaz but it was close, with his previous majority of more than 8,500 decimated.
Mr McFadden got 15,522 votes while Mr Ejaz received 14,287.
The Brexit Party’s Raj Chaggar received 2,094 votes which put him in third place.
What was the 2017 Wolverhampton South East election result?
Pat McFadden, Labour* - 21,137 (majority 8,514)
Kieran Mullan, Conservative - 12,623
Barry Hodgson, UKIP - 1,675
Ben Mathis, Liberal Democrat - 448
Amy Bertaut, Green - 421
Turnout - 60 per cent (36,390 out of electorate of 60,301)
Mr McFadden won despite holding pro-EU views in one of the highest Leave voting constituencies in the country.
Mr McFadden: “I’m pleased to have been re-elected and I’ll do the best job I can for the people of Wolverhampton South East. It’s been a disastrous night for the Labour party and this requires a deep and honest examination of not just the leadership but the direction the party is taking too.”
Mr Ejaz said: “I’m really proud of the whole team. We’ve run a great campaign not just locally but nationally as well and I’m very proud of the whole party.”
The turnout was 53 per cent, down from 60.2 per cent in 2017.
