News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

York election night – As it happened

 

What York’s winners said

Rachael Maskell after her York Central win in the December election. Photograph: YorkMix

After winning York Central, Labour’s Rachael Maskell said:

  • Although disappointed bitterly by the results I see across the nation, because we come into politics to make a difference for people, I vow that I will continue to fight for my constituents with every bone in my body to ensure that their lives improve here in York now and in the future.

Julian Sturdy at the winner’s podium, Photograph: City of York Council

In his speech after retaining York Outer, Julian Sturdy said:

  • We have to make sure that, here in York, we build on our local successes.

    I want to make sure that we continue to build on the infrastructure projects we’ve delivered, make sure we deliver on the A64.

Johnson romps home with ‘powerful new mandate to get Brexit done’

Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Boris Johnson hailed his “powerful new mandate to get Brexit done” as his party romped to victory in the 2019 General Election, writes the Press Association.

The Tory landslide prompted Jeremy Corbyn to announce he will not lead Labour into another election after his party suffered humiliation.

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson also lost her seat to the SNP, who made further inroads in Scotland.

But the big winner was Mr Johnson as the Tories won seat after seat in Labour’s heartlands.

With over 600 seats declared, the PA news agency was predicting a Tory majority of 76.

Mr Corbyn admitted it had been a “very disappointing” night.

The anti-war campaigner, who has represented Islington North since 1983, ran as an outside candidate for the party leadership in 2015 and managed to outlast two Tory prime ministers.


But facing his second General Election defeat, Mr Corbyn said that he would call it a day as leader as he was re-elected in his London seat.

He said he would discuss with the party how to ensure there was a “process of reflection “.

“I will lead the party during this period to ensure this discussion takes place.”

The mood at Mr Johnson’s count was much more upbeat as he declared: “It does look as though this One Nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done.”

He added: “Above all I want to thank the people of this country for turning out to vote in a December election that we didn’t want to call but which I think has turned out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country.

“And that is what we will now do, and if we are lucky enough to be returned, as the exit polls seem to suggest, then that work will begin tomorrow… or as I should say, not tomorrow, today!”

Mr Corbyn’s party, which had 243 MPs when Parliament was dissolved last month, was heading for its worst result since 1935 after support crumbled in its so-called ‘red wall’ of formerly safe seats across the north, the Midlands and Wales.

Some pictures from the count

Photograph: City of York Council

The York Outer results chart

The York Central votes chart

Result: Julian Sturdy holds York Outer

He’s still the only person to ever represent York Outer. Julian Sturdy retains the seat for the Conservatives, after first being elected to the seat when it was first created in 2010.

Keith Aspden (Lib Dem) 9,992
Scott Marmion (Ind) 692
Anna Perrett (Labour) 17,339
Julian Sturdy (Con) 27,324

Result: Rachael Maskell holds York Central

York Central is a Labour hold.

Rachael Maskell has held the seat.

More Yorkshire results

Here’s more Yorkshire results, via Battle For Yorkshire.

Labour holds Doncaster North and Doncaster Central – reduced majorities in both cases.

Greg Knight increases his majority and holds Yorkshire East for the Conservatives – 33,988 votes tonight aginst 31,442 in 2017

Jeremy Corbyn to go – but not yet

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks after he retained his Islington North Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

After being returned as MP for Islington North, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has described the 2019 General Election outcome as “very disappointing” and said he will not lead the party in any future election campaign.

But he says a discussion will take place as to what happens next.

 

Results from elsewhere in Yorkshire

Here’s a round-up of other recent Yorkshire results, via the ‘Battle For Yorkshire’ blog on The Yorkie:

Karl Turner hangs onto John Prescott’s old Hull East seat for Labour – with a much-reduced majority. Down from 21,355 to 12,713.

Labour holds Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough with a majority of 22,369 against 28,193 in 2017

In Leeds East, Fabian Hamilton holds the seat for Labour, but with his majority slashed from 33,436 in to 2017 to 19,464

The Conservatives hold Scarborough and Whitby – with an increased majority for Robert Goodwill

Labour holds Rotherham but, as we’re seeing elsewhere, with a reduced majority – down from 21,404 in 2017 to 14,736 tonight

David Davis holds onto Haltemprice and Howden and his hefty majority – but arrives too late to hear the announcement.

A Conservative hold for Harrogate and Knaresborough. Andrew Jones has had his 31,477 majority reduced a tad to 29,962 but still a very safe seat for the Conservatives.

Recap: How York Outer voted in 2017

In York Outer in 2017 there was a turnout of 76% (57,573 votes cast). This was the result:

Recap: How York Central voted in 2017

We could still be an hour away from the results here in York. So here’s a good chance to recall how the city voted at the last general election in 2017.

In York Central, on a 69% turnout (total votes 53,301), this was the result:

Video – Green Party’s Tom Franklin: ‘I am extremely worried for the future of the country’

Tom Franklin, the Green Party candidate for York Central, didn’t mince his words in this interview with York St John University’s April Coward and Victoria Cotton.

Of the prospect of a Conservative majority government headed by Boris Johnson, he said:

  • I am extremely worried for the future of the country.

    We’re in a climate emergency and the Conservative Party is not taking it seriously – and we’re in severe danger of not meeting any of our international targets…

    Brexit is going to be a disaster in itself, but the climate emergency is going to make that look like chicken feed.

More from Chloe on the political beat

Local democracy reporter Chloe Laversuch has been gauging more responses around the count.

Video: Keith Aspden – People felt revoke policy ‘didn’t give them a chance to engage in debate’

City of York Council leader and Liberal Democrat candidate for York Outer Keith Aspden has given his first reaction of the unfolding election results.

He said it was pretty clear that we were heading for a “pretty big Conservative majority”.

“For me that means the Conservatives have an awful lot to live up to, particularly for investment in places like York, Yorkshire and the North.”

He said the exit polls were showing the Lib Dems gaining one seat and an increase in their share of the vote – “it’s a step forward”.


Was the policy commitment to revoke Article 50 and stop Brexit a mistake?

  • On the doorstep a lot of people were saying they felt that simply saying we would revoke didn’t give people an opportunity to engage in that debate.

    Of course that policy was only if we got a majority government, and of course we were not going to get a majority government. We always were campaigning for a people’s vote to remain.

On the Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson he noted that she was in danger of losing her Dunbartonshire East seat.

  • For any new Liberal Democrat leader it invariably takes quite a few elections for them to establish themselves.

Turnout for York Outer much higher than York Central

Turnout in the York Outer constituency is much higher than in York Central – 74.44%.

There were 55,588 votes cast from an electorate of 74,673.

That’s in line with 2017 when the York Outer turnout was 75%.

But it is far higher than in York Central at 66.38%.

This from City of York Council give the turnout from 2017 as a comparison:

York Central turnout announced

The York Central turnout has just been announced by acting returning officer Ian Floyd – it was 66.38%.

The number of ballot papers is 49,717 from a total electorate of 74,899.

‘People wanted to get Brexit done’

York local democracy reporter Chloe Laversuch has been gauging reaction from politicians at the count.

Video: Julian Sturdy – ‘I’ve got a big smile on my face’

Conservative Julian Sturdy, fighting to retain his York Outer seat, has told YorkMix of his reaction to the exit poll, predicting a healthy Conservative majority.

He said:

  • I’ve got a big smile on my face. Early days I would say, but at the moment the first few results we’ve seen come in – Blyth Valley as one that’s just swung our way which is fantastic news, and looking about a ten per cent swing from Labour – if that continues through the night then the exit polls are going to be about spot on.

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He said Brexit was a key issue – people wanting to get Brexit over had come up on the doorstep.

“And Boris Johnson has cut through parts of the north where, previous Conservative leaders haven’t”.

In the campaign for York Outer, Mr Sturdy said:

  • Certainly early on the Lib Dems have pushed hard – they’ve put a lot of literature through the letterboxes – those residents of York Outer will be nodding in agreement I’m sure of that.

    But what I found most striking – and what we’ve tried to do in our campaign is make sure we’re out on the doorstep talking to people.

Early York Twitter reaction

Here are some reactions from the frontline today. This from the independent candidate for York Outer, Scott Marmion:

This from York For Europe, who tried a ‘vote swap’ between the Lib Dems and Labour in York Outer and Harrogate:

This from Andrew Dunn, SDP candidate for York Outer:

Students cover the election across Yorkshire

Victoria Cotton and April Coward, third year journalism students at York St John University at the election count

Around 70 Journalism and Media Production students and staff from York St John University are gearing up to cover the General Election this week, producing through-the-night programming under the banner ‘The Battle for Yorkshire’.

The mammoth operation will be the biggest news challenge the team has ever faced and will include producing TV and radio programmes pre- and post- election and a through-the-night live news feed as results come in.

All the content will be available to watch online through The Yorkie, the public-facing news website produced by our journalism students, and shared with local and national media through BJTC (Broadcast Journalism Training Council) media partners.

Student journalists will be reporting from vote counts in York and Hull, and picking up other Yorkshire results as they’re announced.

Sue Greenwood, Associate Head: Production in the School of the Arts, is leading the operation and said: “The enthusiasm of students and staff wanting to get involved is extraordinary.

“This is the busiest week of the semester for everyone but here they are – taking on extra work and pitching in to cover three production shifts. I think our students especially realise how important this election is and that this may be a one-off opportunity for them to be at the heart of reporting on it.”

We’re working together with YSJ students – including April Coward and Victoria Cotton, who are covering the York count, and will be including some of their reports on our blog.

Video: Rachael Maskell reacts to the exit poll

The exit poll is predicting a thumping 86 seat majority for the Conservatives.

Rachael Maskell, the Labour candidate for York Central, says it looks like a bad day for the Labour Party.

She said a Conservative government wasn’t going to address the problems facing York.

  • I’ll continue, as I have been doing over the past four and a half years fighting for the people of this city, making sure that they have a real voice in their futures and the future of politics.

    And within the Labour Party I’ll make sure their voice is amplified, but also within Parliament.

Did the exit poll surprise her? “Obviously for quite some time I’ve been worried by the impact of populism and the way that’s been playing, and the media messaging as well.”

What does she feel about Jeremy Corbyn’s position as leader?

  • I don’t think any rash decisions should be taken. What’s really important is to do the analysis first.

    But clearly if we are as a party going to move into a new era we’re going to have to think who is the right person to take us into that era.

    I don’t want to make any speculations tonight, I don’t think that’s appropriate. But we’ve got to get this right.

The first ballot boxes have arrived at the York count

The first ballot boxes arrive. Photograph: YorkMix

The count is underway at Election 19 in York.

The first ballot boxes arrived at Energise leisure centre on Cornlands Road shortly after the polls closed at 10pm.

We have been told to expect the results at around 4am.