WORCESTER has returned a Conservative MP to Westminster for the fourth time in nine years after Robin Walker retained the seat on a historic night for his party.
Mr Walker looks certain to celebrate a decade as the Member of Parliament for the city after nearly tripling his majority over Labour from the 2,508 it fell to two years ago to 6,758.
His success completed a successful night for the Conservatives who tightened their grip on all the seats in the county and made substantial gains across the West Midlands to form a majority Government for only the second time in more than 20 years.
The party notched up a staggering 25,856 votes, an increase of 1,125 compared to the 2017 poll while Labour’s Lynn Denham saw her party’s share of the vote drop by 3,125 to 19,098 to complete a miserable night for Labour.
Stephen Kearney finished third for the Liberal Democrats and added 1,909 votes to his effort of two years ago to finish with 3,666 while the Green Party’s Louis Stephen added 483 votes to his 2017 tally to finish fourth with 1,694.
Independent Martin Potter, who was initially chosen to fight the seat for the Brexit Party, finished fifth with 584 votes as Brexit-backing city residents lent their support to the Conservatives.
Speaking to the Observer after the result was declared, Mr Walker said: “I am hugely thrilled and honoured to have that support from the people of Worcester, I love being Worcester’s MP and representing this great city and I know in order to keep doing that I have to keep making the argument to people as to why my party has the right ideas.
The jubilant Tory MP claimed the party would govern from the centre ground of British politics and claimed the result highlighted the Labour party nationally had moved ‘way off to the left’.
“They left the centre vacant for us to the win the argument and I am very pleased my track record of action for Worcester has seen my share of the vote increase at every election.
“I’m honoured at the trust placed in me and I recognise the huge responsibility which comes with it.
Worcester voted by 53 per cent to 47 per cent to leave the European Union and Mr Walker said the outcome showed residents in the city wanted to see the outcome respected.
“I want to make sure we leave with a deal, I think a majority of my constituents agree with me so I am looking forward to working in a Parliament with a Conservative majority to deliver that,” he said.
“I’ve always argued the way to bring remainers and leavers together is not to give one side a complete victory but to find a sensible compromise, to leave with a good deal but to be clear we are going to be friends and neighbours with good trade between us.
“The prospect of that I think has increased with the prospect of a Conservative majority, with a clear majority the EU will want to negotiate in earnest on the good deal we all want to see,” Mr Walker added.
