Sir Vince Cable has said the Libs Dems won’t join a coalition government upon winning back his seat from the Conservatives.
The 74-year-old took 34,969 seats – a huge 9,762 majority on his return to politics.
Tories rival Tania Mathias has failed to repeat her 2000 majority win back in 2015 with just 25,207 seats.
Vince Cable said: “The party national picture is unclear.
“All I can say is I and my party were very explicit – we are not going to join a coalition but we will be constructive opposition and I think one of the conclusions we have found out from tonight is that there is much division in the country between generations.
“I think we are going to have to talk to those much more constructively with issues like Brexit, they are going to have to be approached in a more consensual way.
“I am looking forward to being an MP again and carrying on my constituency work.
“One thing I have realised after being around in the last few weeks is the value people have attached to working as individuals and that is a tradition we have and I want to continue it.
“I look forward to serving you again.”
Tania Mathias said it had been the honour of her life to be the MP for Twickenham, and wished Cable the very best with opposing the Heathrow expansion.
After a brief stint away from parliament, former Strictly star Cable was in a jiving mood after the exit polls gave the Lib Dems a 6% increase earlier in the evening.
And Dr Mathias has joined the growing conga-line of lost seats for the Conservatives on a night that has threatened prime minister Theresa May’s position at No.10.
Elsewhere in Twickenham, Labour’s Dr Katherine Dunne, who was also hoping to benefit from the kind exit polls took 6,114 seats.
The area saw 66,455 voters cash their ballots (79.7%), increasing by 2.4% from 2015.
Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat) 34,969, Tania Mathias (Conservative) 25,207, Katherine Dunne (Labour) 6,114
Liberal Democrat gain, majority 9,762
Turnout: 79.5%
