Victories for Lizzi Collinge and Cat Smith on big night for Labour

Friday, 5 July 2024 07:13

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Labour MPs Lizzi Collinge and Cat Smith shortly after their wins were announced

It was a big night for Labour as they took victory in Morecambe & Lunesdale and Lancaster & Wyre in the general election.

Lizzi Collinge ousted longtime Conservative MP David Morris to win in Morecambe & Lunesdale, overturning his 6,354 majority to win with a massive swing to a 5,815 majority.

Cat Smith won clearly in the new Lancaster & Wyre seat, defeating nearest rival the Conservative Peter Cartridge by a 9,253 majority.

Their wins were typical of a fantastic night for the Labour Party, who swept to a landslide victory in the general election and will now form the next government under new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.

With results from just 13 seats of 650 still to be declared, Labour had won 410 seats in the House of Commons, a gain of 216, to the Conservatives' 116. The Liberal Democrats had a great night as they'd won 70 (up from 11 in 2019). The Scottish National Party had eight and Sinn Fein seven.

Beyond Radio spoke to the two Labour MPs shortly after the results were announced at Lancaster Town Hall on Friday morning.

"It's an absolutely unbelievable feeling," said Mrs Collinge, who became an MP for the first time after being a Lancashire county councillor.

"To have that trust put in you by so many people is very humbling."

Cat Smith, who was previously MP for Lancaster & Fleetwood, said: "It's really nice to have another local MP in the local area, it's nice to have a friend.

"It's now about establishing myself in the parts of Lancaster & Wyre that weren't in the Lancaster & Fleetwood constituency."

MORECAMBE and LUNESDALE FULL RESULT

Lizzi Collinge (Labour) – 19,603 ELECTED

David Morris (Conservative) – 13,788

Barry Parsons (Reform UK) – 7,810

Peter Jackson (Lib Dem) – 4,769

Gina Dowding (Green) – 2,089

LANCASTER & WYRE FULL RESULT

Cat Smith (Labour) - 19,315 ELECTED

Peter Cartridge (Conservatives) - 10,062

Nigel Alderson (Reform UK) - 6,866

Jack Lenox (Green) - 5,236