By Cameron Eyles and Anna Mackenzie
November 15 2019, 18.15
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Conservative Zac Goldsmith narrowly won the seat in 2017 polling just 45 votes ahead of Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney.
The tight result, with Goldsmith gaining 28,588 votes against Olney’s 28,543, also marked a 13.1% loss for the Conservatives and a 25.8% up swing for Lib Dem from the 2015 elections. Olney held the seat for six months in 2017.
The constituency voted 71.31% to remain in the EU referendum.
Zac Goldsmith (Conservative)
Richmond Park incumbent, Zac Goldsmith held the seat since 2017 and between 2010 and 2016 before briefly resigning due to his disapproval of the third Heathrow runway plans. He was a candidate in the 2016 mayoral election, losing to Labour’s Sadiq Khan.
Goldsmith is known for campaigning on environmental and localist issues, as well as being one of the wealthiest figures in British politics.
Twitter: @ZacGoldsmith
Sandra Keen (Labour)
Richmond-born Sandra Keen is standing in her first general election having stood in Ham, Petersham & Richmond Riverside for the 2018 council elections. She studied for a masters as a mature student and is now a disability benefits advisor.
She said: “I am delighted and honoured to be Labour’s candidate in Richmond Park and will do everything that I can to promote Labour’s positive manifesto message and bring about the changes that are so desperately needed by constituency and the whole country.”
Twitter: @richmondclp
Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat)
Surrey-born Sarah Olney is a qualified accountant as well as a political candidate. She entered politics in 2015 and became the MP for Richmond Park for six months in 2016-17 after Goldsmith triggered a by-election in protest at Heathrow expansion.
She told SW Londoner: “One of the reasons I’m fighting so hard in this election is because I want there to be a really strong cohort of Liberal Democrat MPs in the next parliament and for us to be really influential in the next government.
“I think we are the party that represents the moderate, the centre and the pragmatic. We are the antidote to extremism.”
Twitter: @sarahjolney1
Caroline Shah (Independent)
Caroline Shah was born in Hounslow West. A trained financial analyst, she worked for 11 years in the City before setting up her own consultancy company.
She is running for a position in parliament to oppose over-development in the Kingston borough and “stand up for” Richmond Park.
“I want to let residents across the Richmond Park constituency know how flawed development plans for Kingston will affect us and the precious environment around us and to insist that they change before it is too late.”
Twitter: @Justwantclarity
