Brentford and Isleworth election result: Labour's Ruth Cadbury swats away Conservative challenge with emphatic victory

Ruth Cadbury increased her party's majority by nearly 12,000
Simon Jacobs
Daniel O'Mahony9 June 2017
WEST END FINAL

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Labour’s Ruth Cadbury held onto the seat of Brentford and Isleworth in spectacular fashion, fending off her Conservative challenger and increasing her party’s majority by nearly 12,000.

The returning MP said voters in the west London constituency had voted “for hope, for change” following the announcement of her comprehensive victory over Conservative opponent Mary Macleod.

In her acceptance speech she said: “I’d like to thank the people of Brentford and Isleworth who voted against school cuts, who voted against cuts to the NHS and care service, who voted against police cuts, who voted against so many policies of the Conservative government.”

Ms Cadbury had started the night defending one of the capital’s most marginal seats, with a majority of just 465 votes.

But as shock results began to filter in across the country, she found herself riding the red wave of Labour success in London to finish ahead by 12,182 on a turnout of 72.55 per cent.

With a wry nod to the turbulent national picture, she told those assembled at Hounslow Civic Centre: “I commit to serve you again, as hard as I can — until the next general election.”

Ms Macleod, who was the constituency’s Tory MP from 2010 to 2015, said she was “obviously disappointed” and appeared somewhat stunned at the scale of her defeat.

Fighting back tears, she said: “It was something I just lost two years ago by 465, and obviously it’s a much larger loss this evening.

“We will analyse the numbers over the next few weeks. It wasn’t something that we heard on the doorstep.”

Ms Macleod would not be drawn on whether she thought Theresa May would be able to carry on as Prime Minister.

“This is disappointing, but that’s democracy, and the Conservatives will live to fight another day locally.”

Signs that the Conservatives would struggle were showing not long after midnight, after the 61,785 ballot papers were verified and counting began.

Declining to give a definitive prediction, one Tory activist simple said: “F***, all our hard work...”

Labour's Ruth Cadbury saw off a challenge from Conservative Mary Macleod
Simon Jacobs

Two Labour activists said voters on the doorstep were “sick and tired” of Mrs May and criticised Ms Macleod for running a campaign based on “slogans”.

Nevertheless, Ms Cadbury said she had “never expected” to gain such a comprehensive majority.

She told the Standard: “We’re seeing today strange results across the country going in our favour, or at least against the Tories.

“There are definitely people who have voted Labour for the first time because of Jeremy Corbyn. But there’s a whole host of reasons - it’s a very varied constituency, with lots of people saying different things on the doorstep.

“There’s anger with Theresa May over Brexit, we’ve got a very strong remain vote here, particularly in Conservative areas. There’s anger about education cuts, anger about health service cuts, and just general dissatisfaction with a Conservative Government.

Asked whether she echoed Mr Corbyn’s call for Mrs May to step down, Ms Cadbury said: “I think quite a lot of the Tory party will be asking for her to resign.”

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