Credit to baby George as Suella says democracy will be restored
Former Brexit minister Suella Braverman has been returned as MP for Fareham and said the Conservatives will ‘restore democracy’.
Mrs Braverman secured a 26,086 majority – increasing her 2017 majority of 21,555.
The MP thanked George Braverman, her five-monthold baby, for securing her ‘a few votes’ on the campaign trail.
The barrister, who took 63.7 per cent of the vote on a 73.18 per cent turnout, said: ‘I’m sure George has to take some credit for that.
‘He has been out on the campaign trail with his blue rosette.’
Ms Braverman, who was chairwoman of the pro-Brexit European Research Group from June 2017 to January 2018, said the results seen across the country would mean the end of ‘the Remainer parliament’.
She said: ‘They have believed that they know best.
was at the election count in Fareham to see the pro-Brexit Conservative Suella Braverman increase her majority to 26,086
But tonight we have had an unequivocal mandate for Brexit.
‘If you are on the losing side, you have to respect the result.
‘I resigned (from government) over the terms of the first deal — but the deal Boris has got is a very good one, and I have no hesitations whatsoever supporting Boris’s new deal.
But the other parties’ candidates took issue with the idea that the election represented a restoration of democracy.
Matthew Randall, Labour party candidate for Fareham who came second, said: ‘Moving on from this point we have to think about what our democracy is. I don’t think it's enough to have votes every five years.
‘We need people to be more involved, with quite simple stuff like forming a community and instead of donating to a food bank, they go down and (volunteer at) that food bank.’
As Labour suffered a disappointing night, Mr Randall wanted to tell the party leader Jeremy Corbyn to keep his ‘chin up’.
He said: ‘Our manifesto was a great one, and I have no regrets supporting it and going forward supporting it.’
Matthew Winnington, candidate for the Liberal Democrats, said he wanted to ‘put his arm around’ the shoulder of party leader Jo Swinson, who lost her seat.
He said: ‘Had our campaign been different it may have got us a few more seats, but it wouldn’t have made a huge amount of difference.
‘We were against an establishment — including the media — that made this process almost completely binary.
But Mrs Braverman said it was the ‘social media bubble’ that had failed to capture the mood of the nation.
She said: ‘There is a social media bubble and a Westminister bubble, but the vast majority of the British people have an instinct for what is fair, what is decent and what is common sense.
‘This election is a great endorsement of Boris Johnson’s leadership — he’s got a very authentic manner when it comes to campaigning.’
And Boris continued his campaign even when meeting baby George.
Mrs Braverman said: ‘Boris said he hopes he’ll vote Conservative one day.
‘He could end up rebelling — but not if I have anything to do with it.’