LIBERAL Democrat Claire Young is the new MP for Thornbury & Yate.
The Frampton Cotterell councillor and leader of South Gloucestershire Council defeated sitting Conservative Luke Hall by 3,014 votes to win back a seat held by the Lib Dems until 2015.
It came on a night of electoral disaster for the Tories, who saw big names such as Liz Truss, Jacob-Rees Mogg, Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps lose their seats as Labour secured a big parliamentary majority and the Lib Dems picked up more than 70 seats.
Afterwards Ms Young said: “Tonight is a truly historic night for the Liberal Democrats.
“We’re already hearing of gains around the country in places we would never have expected, and I would like to thank Ed Davey for his leadership, putting issues of health and care at the heart of his campaign.
“It’s something that really resonated with people on the doorsteps.
“Most of all I’d like to thank the wonderful people here in Thornbury & Yate. Thanks for sharing your concerns with me, and for the warm welcome I’ve received across the constituency over the last few weeks and the last few months.
“It’s as huge privilege to be elected to represent you in Parliament, and I look forward to standing up for everyone, however you voted.
“I will be a strong voice for our communities, especially on tackling the cost-of-living crisis ending the sewage scandal and fixing the health and care crisis.”
Outgoing MP Mr Hall congratulated his successor, and wished her the best in representing the constituency.
He said: “I very much hope that I fought a positive campaign, based on the issues that people in our community care about the most, but the desire for change has been great, and this is clearly a horrendous night for the Conservative Party.
“Divided political parties, focussed upon themselves rather than the issues that matter to our constituents, get punished at the ballot box – and quite rightly so.”
Full result:
Claire Young (Lib Dem) 20,815
Luke Hall (Conservative): 17,801
Andy Banwell (Reform UK) 7,529
Rob Logan (Labour) 5,057
Alexandra Jenner-Fust (Green) 2,165
Turnout: 68.44%.
Picture: Claire Young and Liberal Democrats at the count in Thornbury Leisure Centre after she defeated Luke Hall to win the Thornbury & Yate seat