The Greens won Brighton Pavilion with Caroline Lucas gaining a bigger majority again despite spending much of her campaign supporting colleagues in other target seats.
She picked up 30,149 votes to earn a majority of 14,699 – or 52.3 per cent – up from 22,871 just two years ago.
Labour’s candidate, 20-year-old Solomon Curtis, came second with 15,450 votes – up on the party’s 14,904 last time – even though he was chosen to stand just 30 days before polling day.
He was sitting his final exams at Sussex University where he has been studying for a degree in politics while trying to put together his second general election campaign as a candidate.
The Conservatives’ Emma Warman – another late selection – polled 11,082 votes while Ian Buchanan, for UKIP, managed won 630 votes in fourth place.
They were trailed by Independent candidate Nick Yeomans, with 376 votes, more than twice his tally of 116 votes at the May 2015 general election.
The Liberal Democrats stood aside in the seat to give the Greens a better chance of success as part of what has been described as a progressive alliance.
The result was the last to be declared at the American Express Community Stadium – the Falmer home of Brighton and Hove Albion – as breakfast-time approached this morning (Friday 9 June).
In her acceptance speech Caroline Lucas said: “I’m proud that we’ve pushed the boundaries of the politically possible.”
On polling day (Thursday 8 June) she was spotted in the centre of Brighton on the back of a tandem – with her husband Richard Savage – urging people to vote for her.
With her wireless microphone, the sight was reminiscent of candidates’ cars trawling the streets with loudhailers or roof-mounted speakers in the 1970s. But more green, of course.
Brighton Pavilion
Caroline Lucas (Green) 30,149
Solomon Curtis (Labour) 15,450
Emma Warman (Conservative) 11,082
Ian Buchanan (UKIP) 630
I hope Solomon is given a more winnable constituency next time. He clearly has a future in politics if he wants it….oh! Actually! There is a ward by-election opportunity now in East Brighton isn’t there!!
He’s the one that said if you want a black neighbour vote labour,what’s that all about?