Liberal Democrats sail to victory in Wimbledon after 19 years of Tory control

The Liberal Democrats have taken control of Wimbledon after 19 years of Tory control.

Paul Kohler, representing the Lib Dems, achieved more than 45 per cent of the vote in what many thought would be a much tighter seat.

Finishing with more votes than the Conservative and Labour candidates combined, Mr Kohler raked in 24,790 votes, while Tory candidate Danielle Dunfield-Prayero obtained 12,180 and Labour candidate Eleanor Stringer came in third with 11,733.

Voter turnout in Wimbledon was one of the capital’s highest, at 72 per cent, after 54,973 voters cast their votes at the ballot box yesterday.

The seat has elected Conservative MPs since 1885, apart from five years after the Second World War, and from 1997–2005 during the Tony Blair landslide years. 

Despite the Conservative stronghold from 2005, the Tories success was doubted in the election build up, with their incumbent Stephen Hammond’s decision to step down from Parliament after 19 years in the seat.

Rishi Sunak and Sir Ed Davey visited the constituency in the run up to election day, in a sign that both the Conservatives and Lib-Dems believed they could win there.

Pictured top: Liberal Democrat Paul Kohler (Picture: Paul Kohler)