Tories turn Hyndburn blue after 27 years
JON MACPHERSON
THE Conservatives have gained Hyndburn from Labour in a dramatic general election result.
Tory candidate Sara Britcliffe sparked cheers of delight from Conservative activists as she turned the seat blue for the first time in 27 years.
The 24-year-old Manchester University modern languages graduate received 20,565 votes, while Labour’s Graham Jones received 17,614.
The result crushed a 5,815 Labour majority from 2017 and means the St Andrew’s ward councillor is Hyndburn’s first Tory MP since 1992.
And Ms Britcliffe succeeded where her dad, Peter, failed twice in 1997 and 2001.
It was a dismal night across the country for Jeremy Corbyn’s party - particularly in Leave-supporting areas - with Labour’s ‘Red Wall’ in the North collapsing.
Ms Britcliffe, a former Oswaldtwistle sandwich shop owner, is now the youngest Conservative
MP in Westminster and has pledged to bring a youthful enthusiasm’ to the role.
She said: “I would like to thank the people of Hyndburn and Haslingden for allowing me to be in this position and representing you in parliament.
“I will work tirelessly for everyone in the constituency.
“I didn’t expect the majority I have received but I’m very happy about it.
“I think Hyndburn and Haslingden has been asking for a change for a long time. They want someone that listens to them.
“People are completely fed up with what’s gone on in the last three years.
“They want to get Brexit done and focus on what matters to them.
“People have voted on their priorities and that is to get Brexit done.
“This constituency is not a stepping stone. It’s not just any seat. It’s my home and my family and friends’ home.
“I have that burning desire to make our home a better place to live in.”
Her father Peter Britcliffe, who represents Oswaldtwistle on Lancashire County Council, said: “I am so proud of my daughter.”
The seat was seen as a huge target for the Conservatives with 65.8pc of constituents voting to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.
Mr Jones, who has been an outspoken critic of Jeremy Corbyn, even came out, along with 70 other Labour members, in support of a second EU referendum.
Gregory Butt (Brexit Party) scored 2,156, Katrina Brockbank (Green Party) 845 and Adam Waller-Slack (Liberal Democrats) 1,226.
The turnout in Hyndburn was 59.8pc, slightly down from 61.8pc in 2017.
Mr Butt said Graham Jones has ‘reaped the reward for obfuscation and delay and being a Remain politician in a very Leave dominated constituency’.
He said: “He has to look at himself but he has not been helped out by national politics and the Corbyn/McDonnell leadership.
“I don’t think anybody could criticise Graham for
ELECTION RESULT
HYNDBURN
SARA BRITCLIFFE (CON) 20,565
Katrina Brockbank (Grn) 845
Gregory Butt (Bre) 2,156
Graham Jones (Lab) 17,614
Adam Waller-Slack (LD) 1,226
Con gain from Lab Majority: 2,951 Turnout 59.8% (-3.3%) not being a good constituency MP but he has got it wrong and the Labour Party got it wrong.
“Rather than being a voice of Hyndburn in Westminster he has been a voice of Westminster in Hyndburn.”
Mr Waller-Slack said the election result shows the ‘public want Brexit done rather than wanting it stopped’.
Hyndburn Council leader Miles Parkinson said: “It’s been a difficult campaign. We have to be open and honest about that. It’s a statement to the Labour Party that it needs to address its core voters.
“Of course that will be something which will be done in future weeks and months by the national leadership.”