Labour’s Rachel Reeves was re-elected as MP for Leeds West this morning, increasing her majority in the process.
Despite Labour taking a hammering in the polls nationally, Ms Reeves received 18,456 votes, more than 10,000 ahead of nearest challenger, Conservative Alex Pierre Traves, on 7,729.
Ms Reeves tweeted:
So proud to have been re-elected as MP for #LeedsWest. It’s a huge privilege & honour to be elected for 2nd time http://t.co/5Mq43GSR8P
— Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) May 8, 2015
I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my brilliant team. Here’s a link to the #LeedsWest 2015 election result > http://t.co/5Mq43GSR8P
— Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) May 8, 2015
After a disappointing night for @UKLabour we need to regroup & rebuild to win again so we can build a fairer Britain
— Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) May 8, 2015
Meanwhile, in the marginal Pudsey seat, Conservative Stuart Andrew held off the challenge of Labour’s Jamie Hanley for a second successive election. Turnout was 72.5 per cent.
The Lib Dems, who had notched more than 10,000 votes back in 2010, saw numbers slashed to under 2,000.
Mr Andrew won the seat at the 2010 election, taking over from outgoing Labour MP Paul Truswell.
Reeves may have increased her majority this time. but it is an upwards blip in a downwards trend. The majority has fallen at every election since 1997 and is now almost half what it was in 1997.
The long term trend is downwards.