Chiswick Still To Be Represented By Labour MPs

Ruth Cadbury and Rupa Huq both hang on with reduced majorities

Ruth Cadbury at the count

Labour, as predicted, hung onto the two seats serving the Chiswick area with Ruth Cadbury comfortably retaining her seat in Brentford & Isleworth, and Rupa Huq winning in Ealing Central and Acton. These were two relatively positive moments for the party which looks on course nationally to possibly register its worst result since 1935.

Ruth Cadbury received 29,266 votes (compared to her 35,364 in 2017), a decrease on her 57.4% share of the vote last time out. That previous victory was the result of a 13.6% swing in her direction and in Chiswick, that swing was 18 per cent. Her overall majority did not decrease as markedly in 2019 because the vote for the Conservative candidate Seena Shah also saw a significant decline.

The turnout was 68% a decrease on the 2017 figure of 72.4% in Brentford and Isleworth,

Ms Cadbury said afterwards, ''It is an honour to be re-elected to represent our vibrant and diverse community for another term in Parliament. I promise that I will keep working hard to return the trust you've placed in me, listen to your concerns and respond your needs, whilst also reflecting values of decency, compassion and openness.

"No matter how you voted I promise that I will continue to work hard to represent everyone on both local and national issues. I have always said that I am willing to work with anyone to make our local area a better place to live, and I look forward to continuing to campaign on a range of issues.

"I'd like to thank the amazing set of volunteers who helped get me re-elected- this would not be possible without you. I'd also like to thank all the election staff and the police who ensured that the poll went smoothly, as well as the other candidates here.

"I know that lots of people both locally and across the country are extremely upset about the national results last night. This is a feeling I share. I am dismayed to see many talented and experienced colleagues and friends lose their seats last night. They have have represented their communities and our party so ably, and I dismayed that we now face at least 5 years of a Conservative majority government that is determined to take the UK out of the EU come what may."

Rupa Huq has retained her seat in Ealing Central and Acton with a slightly reduced majority gaining 28,132 votes.

She beat off the challenge from the Conservative candidate Julian Gallant who came second. The fall in the sitting Labour's majority came, however, as a result of an increased vote for the Liberal Democrats and the Greens rather than a recovery in the Tory vote which fell by over 4,000 during a night of gains for the party across the country. The Brexit Party candidate only managed 664 votes.

After the announcement Ms Huq said, 'I want to thank the people of Ealing, Acton and Chiswick, not once, not twice, but three times.

'I'm proud of what we achieved together.'

She won the seat for Labour in 2017 with 33,037 votes giving her nearly 60% of the vote in a constituency that she had previously held with a narrow majority. In that election she had benefited from leading figures in the Liberal Democrats urging their members to vote for her. This time around the Lib Dems fought an aggressive campaign attracting criticism for some of the claims made in their campaign material in which they used the results from the European elections to claim they could win the seat.

The constituency which was formed in 2010 voted 70.9% to remain in the EU Referendum and concern had been raised by some that a split in the remain vote might let the Tory candidate in by the back door.

Seena Shah the Conservative Party candidate, at the count

A YouGov poll prior to the election had rated Brentford & Isleworth as ‘likely Labour’, and showed Ruth Cadbury getting around 45% of the vote with Seena Shah under 40% and Helen Cross just over 10%, a five percentage point increase on the Lib Dems' performance with Joe Bourke in 2017. Ealing Central Acton looked even more comfortable for Labour on the YouGov poll with Rupa Huq predicted to get around 50% of the vote.

Daniel Goldsmith of the Green Party (middle) watches the count

Despite the difficulties for a Conservative candidate who was a first-timer, from outside the area, and also a Brexiteer in a constituency which voted 56.7% to Remain Ms Shah said that she was well received on the doorsteps, particularly amongst the Indian communities who were incensed at the Labour Party stance on Kashmir. She said apart from Brexit, which many people didn't want to discuss, crime and safety were the big issues she heard from voters.

Local councillors from Chiswick, Gabriella Giles, John Todd and Jo Biddolph

The 2017 general election was notable for the change in the the traditional Conservative vote in Chiswick as diehard supporters switched allegiances.

The two Labour candidates benefited from a large swing to the Labour Party in the snap election called by then Prime Minister Theresa May. It was later attributed to anger over Brexit in a largely 'Remain' area, an increase in young people postal voting, and concern over the Conservative's social care plans.

Dubbed the 'Revenge of the Remainers' the swing towards Labour in Chiswick, estimated at over 18% for local MP Ruth Cadbury (Brentford & Isleworth) gave her and Labour's Rupa Huq (Ealing Central & Acton) another chance to represent the constituency in Parliament but this time with five figure majorities rather than wafer thin ones.

Labour also benefited from a decision by the Green Party candidate Diana Scott, to stand down, which gave Ruth Cadbury extra votes. This time there was no election agreement and the Green Party candidate was Daniel Goldsmith from Chiswick.

December 14, 2019