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MK gains Cornwall South West from CON
Andrew George secures a stunning win for Mebyon Kernow and the Progressives, seizing Cornwall South West from Culture Secretary Sabastian Coe in a shocking upset.
Former Progressives Spokesman for Regional Affairs, Andrew George, vowed to bring a strong and forthright local voice to Parliament after his shock defeat of Culture Secretary Sabastian Coe last night in the Culture Secretary’s now former seat of Cornwall South West. Elected for Mebyon Kernow, an associate member of the multi-party Progressives, George is both Mebyon Kernow’s first MP, and the first Progressives MP to have been elected for a constituency seat since 2003.
His stunning upset, overturning Coe’s majority of 9,473 and all but electorally wiping out the Labour Party and its perennial candidate Cornelius Oliver, George’s victory in South West Cornwall signified to many the tremors of an approaching political earthquake in British Politics as George proved not only the renewed viability of the Progressives outside their comfort zone of the Party Lists, but also the great desire for change at a constituency level. However, despite his victory, the Progressives suffered a painful night, seeing their number of MPs slashed from 76 to 28, with others running in Constituencies failing to make their cases to the electorate and secure a victory as George has done in Cornwall.
George, 58, is a returning member of Parliament, having previously served from 1998-2017 as a Party List member for the South West List, sitting as an MP for the Liberal Party of England and Wales. His decision to remove himself from the List and fight for South West Cornwall under the Mebyon Kernow banner was met with a great deal of skepticism and ridicule, with Constituency runs often considered the ‘dignified’ way for Progressive MPs to end their career. Despite expectations, George and the Cornish branch of the Progressives Party sank nearly everything in a frank and forthright campaign that highlighted the incumbent Coe’s apparent aloofness to his Constituents and Coe’s lavish lifestyle in London in stark contrast to the deprived and poverty stricken lives of his Constituents, who make up one of the poorest Constituencies in the country.
Speaking to hundreds of activists in a state of intense euphoria at the declaration in Penzance, George declared that his victory represented a “…turning point for Britain…” where “…local people are making their voice heard once more”. Recalling the ridicule he received when he declared his intention to run for the seat, George stated that “…it is clear now, more than ever, that the decision by the NEC to focus entirely on Lists was a mistake, and has, for the last fourteen years, deprived people of a viable alternative to the Conservatives. We have seen here tonight not just a victory for Mebyon Kernow and the Progressives, but also a victory for the causes of local governance and local interests.”
George’s emphasis on local issues is what has won him his seat, his campaigns argument and promises to secure desperately needed funding for local schools, hospitals, and public services striking a chord with the electorate, who make up the second highest percentage of welfare claimants in the country. A great deal of attention was lain at the feet of the failed Cassiterides Project, often considered an electoral sweetener, the collapse of which last June is considered to be a major factor in the renewed wave of unemployment and poverty in the area.
In stark contrast to his predecessor and two Conservative counterparts who were returned last night, George made it clear that he would place his Constituency and Constituents first, joking with local archeologist, Dick Cole, “What would have been the point if I wasn’t going to be a Constituency MP?”
Meeting with the Progressives Regional Chairman, David Laws, and Westminster Group Leader, Jonathan Bartley, at a press conference a few hours later- due to the Isle of Scilly, South West Cornwall was one of the last Constituencies to declare- the visibly tired George told reporters that is was “Important that we [Progressives] seriously consider a switch back to fighting for Constituencies, as it is clear that we can win, that we have support, and that we can fill in a particular gap left by the big two.”
“It was a bad night for the us,” he added, “there is no doubt about it, and many talented colleagues and friends will, unfortunately, not be returning to the House. However, what we should take away from this is that there is a clear disconnect between the electorate and the Coalition, not because of policy or ideology, but because they simply don’t feel like we were connected to them, or representing them.”
“By running here, like this, I could connect to the electorate far better than when I was on the List, and because of this I am able to better represent them and their interests.” After a brief statement by Bartley over the question of the potential National Government, George would continue, noting that “Many are already comparing my win here to Roy Jenkins win in Warrington in ’81. It’s a nice comparison, but my win was not necessarily a win for the progressive cause, but instead it was a win for local values and for the people of South West Cornwall.”
George’s win in South West Cornwall also saw the end of the illustrious career of Sabastian Coe; the former gold medal Olympian won the predecessor seat of St. Ives in 1989, succeeding the retiring Sir John Nott and holding the seat against the SDP surge during Cecil Parkinson’s dramatic defeat. Rising quickly though both Shadow Cabinet and later Government, Coe had always been tipped as a potential future leader of the Conservative Party. Though his chances in 2007 were dashed by his less than impressive record as Home Secretary, his entry into Brady’s Cabinet last year as Culture Secretary was viewed as the opening of a political comeback, a comeback which, last night, was extinguished.
In the wider national context, George’s victory was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise crushing night for the Progressives, who lost just under two thirds of their representation in Parliament as their vote share sunk to a dismal 8.8%, placing them just ahead of the Democratic Unionist Party, who achieved a stunning 8.7%, an increase of 5.3%, however were placed fourth, far behind the Scottish Unionist Party in terms seat numbers, who swept Scotland in one of the more surprising moments of last night, decimating the Scottish Democrats. Bartley would confirm that a deal with the Conservatives was off the table at the press conference at Penzance, noting that there were “…enough Tory, DUP, and SUP seats to form a comfortable governing majority.”
George’s unique victory is likely to set the stage for a revival in the Progressives. With the embattled Liz Truss expected stepping down as Chairman and David Laws poised to succeed her, Laws has already made clear his intention to hold a vote at the next Party Conference to officially return the Coalition to Constituency contests that could, in Laws’ eyes, help bring the Progressives back into Government come the next General Election. More optimistic supporters believe that this could even lead to the Coalition being in position to form the next Government, the first Progressive Government since the Alliance’s victory in 1989. But at the moment, all eyes are on South West Cornwall and their new Member of Parliament, Andrew George.
Andrew George secures a stunning win for Mebyon Kernow and the Progressives, seizing Cornwall South West from Culture Secretary Sabastian Coe in a shocking upset.
Former Progressives Spokesman for Regional Affairs, Andrew George, vowed to bring a strong and forthright local voice to Parliament after his shock defeat of Culture Secretary Sabastian Coe last night in the Culture Secretary’s now former seat of Cornwall South West. Elected for Mebyon Kernow, an associate member of the multi-party Progressives, George is both Mebyon Kernow’s first MP, and the first Progressives MP to have been elected for a constituency seat since 2003.
His stunning upset, overturning Coe’s majority of 9,473 and all but electorally wiping out the Labour Party and its perennial candidate Cornelius Oliver, George’s victory in South West Cornwall signified to many the tremors of an approaching political earthquake in British Politics as George proved not only the renewed viability of the Progressives outside their comfort zone of the Party Lists, but also the great desire for change at a constituency level. However, despite his victory, the Progressives suffered a painful night, seeing their number of MPs slashed from 76 to 28, with others running in Constituencies failing to make their cases to the electorate and secure a victory as George has done in Cornwall.
George, 58, is a returning member of Parliament, having previously served from 1998-2017 as a Party List member for the South West List, sitting as an MP for the Liberal Party of England and Wales. His decision to remove himself from the List and fight for South West Cornwall under the Mebyon Kernow banner was met with a great deal of skepticism and ridicule, with Constituency runs often considered the ‘dignified’ way for Progressive MPs to end their career. Despite expectations, George and the Cornish branch of the Progressives Party sank nearly everything in a frank and forthright campaign that highlighted the incumbent Coe’s apparent aloofness to his Constituents and Coe’s lavish lifestyle in London in stark contrast to the deprived and poverty stricken lives of his Constituents, who make up one of the poorest Constituencies in the country.
Speaking to hundreds of activists in a state of intense euphoria at the declaration in Penzance, George declared that his victory represented a “…turning point for Britain…” where “…local people are making their voice heard once more”. Recalling the ridicule he received when he declared his intention to run for the seat, George stated that “…it is clear now, more than ever, that the decision by the NEC to focus entirely on Lists was a mistake, and has, for the last fourteen years, deprived people of a viable alternative to the Conservatives. We have seen here tonight not just a victory for Mebyon Kernow and the Progressives, but also a victory for the causes of local governance and local interests.”
George’s emphasis on local issues is what has won him his seat, his campaigns argument and promises to secure desperately needed funding for local schools, hospitals, and public services striking a chord with the electorate, who make up the second highest percentage of welfare claimants in the country. A great deal of attention was lain at the feet of the failed Cassiterides Project, often considered an electoral sweetener, the collapse of which last June is considered to be a major factor in the renewed wave of unemployment and poverty in the area.
In stark contrast to his predecessor and two Conservative counterparts who were returned last night, George made it clear that he would place his Constituency and Constituents first, joking with local archeologist, Dick Cole, “What would have been the point if I wasn’t going to be a Constituency MP?”
Meeting with the Progressives Regional Chairman, David Laws, and Westminster Group Leader, Jonathan Bartley, at a press conference a few hours later- due to the Isle of Scilly, South West Cornwall was one of the last Constituencies to declare- the visibly tired George told reporters that is was “Important that we [Progressives] seriously consider a switch back to fighting for Constituencies, as it is clear that we can win, that we have support, and that we can fill in a particular gap left by the big two.”
“It was a bad night for the us,” he added, “there is no doubt about it, and many talented colleagues and friends will, unfortunately, not be returning to the House. However, what we should take away from this is that there is a clear disconnect between the electorate and the Coalition, not because of policy or ideology, but because they simply don’t feel like we were connected to them, or representing them.”
“By running here, like this, I could connect to the electorate far better than when I was on the List, and because of this I am able to better represent them and their interests.” After a brief statement by Bartley over the question of the potential National Government, George would continue, noting that “Many are already comparing my win here to Roy Jenkins win in Warrington in ’81. It’s a nice comparison, but my win was not necessarily a win for the progressive cause, but instead it was a win for local values and for the people of South West Cornwall.”
George’s win in South West Cornwall also saw the end of the illustrious career of Sabastian Coe; the former gold medal Olympian won the predecessor seat of St. Ives in 1989, succeeding the retiring Sir John Nott and holding the seat against the SDP surge during Cecil Parkinson’s dramatic defeat. Rising quickly though both Shadow Cabinet and later Government, Coe had always been tipped as a potential future leader of the Conservative Party. Though his chances in 2007 were dashed by his less than impressive record as Home Secretary, his entry into Brady’s Cabinet last year as Culture Secretary was viewed as the opening of a political comeback, a comeback which, last night, was extinguished.
In the wider national context, George’s victory was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise crushing night for the Progressives, who lost just under two thirds of their representation in Parliament as their vote share sunk to a dismal 8.8%, placing them just ahead of the Democratic Unionist Party, who achieved a stunning 8.7%, an increase of 5.3%, however were placed fourth, far behind the Scottish Unionist Party in terms seat numbers, who swept Scotland in one of the more surprising moments of last night, decimating the Scottish Democrats. Bartley would confirm that a deal with the Conservatives was off the table at the press conference at Penzance, noting that there were “…enough Tory, DUP, and SUP seats to form a comfortable governing majority.”
George’s unique victory is likely to set the stage for a revival in the Progressives. With the embattled Liz Truss expected stepping down as Chairman and David Laws poised to succeed her, Laws has already made clear his intention to hold a vote at the next Party Conference to officially return the Coalition to Constituency contests that could, in Laws’ eyes, help bring the Progressives back into Government come the next General Election. More optimistic supporters believe that this could even lead to the Coalition being in position to form the next Government, the first Progressive Government since the Alliance’s victory in 1989. But at the moment, all eyes are on South West Cornwall and their new Member of Parliament, Andrew George.
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