CONSERVATIVE Bradley Thomas has held onto the Bromsgrove seat for his party on a night which looks like will end with a Labour landslide.

Prior to the evening, the Conservatives had a 23,106 majority but – after the build-up and the exit polls – it was clear the margin would be nowhere near that.

Mr Thomas, a former Wychavon District Council leader, polled 16,533 – giving him a majority of 3,016 over second placed Neena Gill (Labour).

Reform UK’s Glen Brampton was third on 9,584 and Liberal Democrat Dr David Nicholl polled 7,391.

Sam Ammar, who quit Labour to stand as an independent, finished on 1,561 and the Workers Party of Britain’s Aheesha Zahir received 144 votes.

Speaking to the Standard afterwards, Mr Thomas said: “I put my heart and soul into this campaign.

“Since last summer I have been talking to residents across the constituency, listening to them and their concerns.

“I really want to be a first class, exceptional MP for Bromsgrove but more importantly I want to hold the next government to account.

“The country has elected a Labour government and they have got some really big plans that will impact on the Bromsgrove constituency and its residents – for example building in the green belt, public spending and more.

“It’s my job to hold the government to account.”

He added he wanted to play his part on helping rebuild the Conservative Party.

On the national picture he said: “We knew it was going to be a tough election – the polls have said that for many weeks and months.

“But I put everything into this and was confident – I’m grateful to the people of Bromsgrove for backing me and I look forward to being a great Member of Parliament for them.”

He said his experience as leader of Wychavon District Council had put him in good stead to address local issues which mattered to people and added he wanted to be ‘Bromsgrove’s biggest and best ambassador’.

“I want to be there for and represent everyone – not just in the town centre but right across the patch, including villages such as Hagley, Rubery, Alvechurch and Wythall.”

And he urged people who had any issues and views on the local area to get in touch with him.

Dr Nicholl, who is also a Bromsgrove District Councillor, said : “I was pleased we have increased our vote share – which the Liberal Democrats have done consistently across the country.”

He added he would continue to lobby on the important issues affecting Bromsgrove, including building in the green belt and the National Health Service.

“Both Labour and the Conservatives back the NHS Workforce Plan but it is not fit for purpose.

“I will be supporting the Lib Dems until everyone can see a real doctor in a reasonable amount of time.

How the night unfolded – our election blog

Elsewhere in Worcestershire

Labour has taken both Redditch and Worcester from the Conservatives.

Chris Bloore has taken the seat from Rachel Maclean in Redditch – a very close run race where Reform UK finished third with the Lib Dems and Greens after that party.

Final scores for Redditch – Chris Bloore (LAB) – 14,810, Rachel Maclean (Con) – 14,021, Julie Alison (Reform UK) – 8,516, Andrew Fieldsend-Roxborough (Lib Dem) – 2,165, David Thain (Green) 2,098, Mohammed Amin (Workers Party of Britain) – 765

In Worcester. Labour’s Tom Collins polled 18,622, beating the Conservative candidate  7,116 votes.

The Conservatives held on in Wyre Forest by just 812 votes.

Harriett Baldwin, another Conservative, also held onto that seat for the Tories.

Bromsgrove turn-out down on last time

THE TURN-OUT in Bromsgrove has been revealed – 66.1 per cent.

It means that 50,545 people have voted out of an electorate of 76,468.

Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Ltd.

And here’s one for the statisticians –

Interestingly, it is down from the 72.63 per cent who voted in December 2019. On that occasion, when Boris Johnson claimed a thumping victory nationally, a total of 54,532 people voted out of a possible electorate of 75,078.

Whether that tells us anything worthwhile about what the result will be here, I have no idea. I guess time will tell.

Just been told the result could be within the hour – having attended many elections, that would be welcome.

A look at the candidates standing in Bromsgrove

AS WE sit and wait for the results – both locally and nationally to come in – let’s take a look at who is contesting the seat here in Bromsgrove.

The seat has been held over the past 14 years by Conservative Sajid Javid who has increased his majority poll on poll.

In the 2019 general election, he polled 63.4 per cent of the vote with a total of 34,408. His majority over Labour soared to 23,106.

Last year he announced he would not be standing at this election, forcing the Conservatives into choosing a new candidate.

So who is standing in Bromsgrove?

Conservative Bradley Thomas – a former Wychavon District Council leader – will be looking to hold onto the seat for the Tories.

The Labour candidate is former MEP Nena Gill and the Liberal Democrats have NHS Dr David Nicholl from Hagley.

The current Bromsgrove District Council chairman Sam Ammar is standing as an independent after quitting the Labour Party.

Also standing are Talia Ellis (Green), Glen Brampton (Reform UK) and Aheesha Zahir (Workers Party of Britain).

For the seat to change from its current ‘blue’ status, a swing of 26 per cent would be needed. Watch this space

Exit poll predicts Labour landslide

The first big talking point of the night is the exit poll.

The current poll methodology has been used in the last five general elections and has been as accurate to predict final results to within 10 seats. The worst of the five was still accurate enough to 30 seats.

It is based on 130 seats across the country and a poll of 200,000 people.

So what does the 2024 exit poll predict?

According to this exit poll, Labour would end up with a majority of 170 seats.

It suggests Labour would win 410 seats, the Conservatives would be second on 131, the Liberal Democrats on 61 and Reform UK would finish with 13.

Scottish National Party are predicted to win 10 seats, Plaid Cymru on four, the Greens on two and the remaining 19 seats spread across other parties.

The ballot boxes are making their way to the counts and we will be bringing you more when we get it.