Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey said people had been let down and wanted change after increasing his majority in Kingston and Surbiton.
Davey won with 25,870 votes to Conservative Helen Edward who received 8,635 votes which secured a Liberal Democrat majority of 17,235 up from their previous majority in 2019 by almost 7,000 votes.
The Lib Dems ended up securing more than 70 seats, as the party surged past their 2010 highs.
Davey said: “Tonight, the Liberal Democrats are on course for our best result for over a century.
“I am humbled by the millions of people who backed the Liberal Democrats to both kick the Conservatives out of power and deliver the change our country needs.”
Throughout the campaign, Davey has performed a number of stunts such as bungee jumping, paddling in Lake Windermere and going on roller coasters to forward his party’s cause.
During his acceptance speech at the King’s Centre Chessington, Davey said he thought the Lib Dems had fought a positive campaign and people liked how they put their ideas across.
He stressed: “Our policies on health and care, on helping people with the cost-of-living crisis, and on tackling the sewage scandal, they’ve been heard louder and clearer because of the way we presented ourselves in this positive light.
“I think it is possible to have a serious debate as well as having a bit of fun – I don’t take myself as a politician seriously – I want to take the concerns of the British people seriously.”
Davey said key issues in the constituency included the closure of Kingfisher Leisure Centre and Chessington FC which he claimed was underwater for the entirety of the winter season.
Kingfisher Leisure Centre was closed in 2019 and he claimed that it would not reopen again until 2027.
He said on the Kingfisher closure: “You are talking about a generation of people who are not learning to swim.
“A leisure centre is something that every community needs, to see friends and have fun, and that has been missing in the area.”
On the wider Conservative defeat, Davey said: “Life has been hard for people, after Covid, the Ukraine war and the cost of living, people have struggled.
“Rightly or wrongly, they wanted a change and that is what they voted for.”
Labour’s Eunice O’Dame came third with 6,561 votes with Reform UK’s Mark Fox polled 4,787 votes in fourth place.
Kingston Independent Residents Group’s Yvonne Tracey polled 1,177 who was campaigning on justice for postmasters in relation to Davey’s role in the Post-Office Scandal as Post Office Minister during the coalition government.
Davey is due to speak at the inquiry on the 18th of July.
Featured image credit: Reuters
