General Election 2024: North Yorkshire's longstanding MPs lose out
July 5th proved to be triumphant for the Labour Party across the UK
All of the results from the General Election in North Yorkshire have been revealed - but for some longstanding MPs, they failed to regain their seat - in what was a triumphant campaign for the Labour Party across the UK.
Rishi Sunak clung on as MP in Richmond and Northallerton but conceded election defeat to Sir Keir Starmer's party.
Mr Sunak gained 23,059 votes beating second-placed Labour candidate Ian Wilson, and third-placed Reform candidate, Lee Taylor.
Following the result, he said the British people had delivered a “sobering verdict” on his party.
But what impact did the voting have on some of North Yorkshire's long established members of parliament?
Harrogate and Knaresborough
Harrogate and Knaresborough had been held by Conservative Andrew Jones since 2010.
At the last election in 2019, Mr Jones scored 52.6 per cent of the votes, down 2.9 per cent on 2017, while the Lib Dems took 35.6 per cent, up 12.2 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats last held the constituency between 1997 and 2010.
Accepting defeat with dignity, Andrew Jones congratulated Lib Dem rival, Tom Gordon, on being elected the town’s new MP.
Mr Gordon received 23,976 votes - beating the Conservatives by more than 8,000 votes.
He described it as a "historic night" for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
York Outer
York Outer has been held by Conservative Julian Sturdy since 2010.
But on Friday (5 July), that all changed.
In the General Election 2024, Mr Sturdy lost out to Labour's Luke Charters - who secured over 23,000 votes.
In his acceptance speech, he said "there is no doubt we've seen the winds of political change sweep through the country."
The speech in full:
"Firstly, I want to say it has been a huge honour to serve for 14 years as the MP for your counter an absolute privilege, it really has, but it's also been an honour and a privilege to serve our great City and I think that's something that unites us all in this really, is how great our City of York is and how we have to take it forward.
"That mantle now has changed and I want to pay tribute to Luke (Charter) and I genuinely wish you all the success in taking that mantle forward because it is important for our city and we must always put our city, here in York, above party politics.
"There's no doubt that we have seen the winds of political change sweep through our country. The centre right vote has split and as a consequence, Keir Starmer is going to get into Number 10 with a large majority.
"The Conservative Party has to recognise that - they have to recognise that the sense of right to vote has split and we have to understand that, if we are going to rebuild and, I as a proud Conservative, will always believe that we can rebuild. And we should rebuild.
"Because it's important that any democracy that you have that strong opposition to take the country forward, and that's what I believe the Conservative Party have to rebuild to do deliver that."
Scarborough and Whitby
The Scarborough and Whitby constituency had been represented by Conservative Sir Robert Goodwill.
However in April 2023, he announced he was standing down at the next election.
The 67 year old had held the seat for 18 years since winning it from Labour in the 2005 election.
Mr Goodwill served as a minister under David Cameron and Theresa May and is chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
His decision to step down was reportedly due to his age and family interests.
But the Conservatives have lost this seat to Labour.
Alison Hume has now been named as the new MP for Scarborough and Whitby, securing over 17,700 votes.
The Conservative candidate, Roberto Weeden-Sanz, came in second, with Reform's David Bowes in third.
Change for North Yorkshire
Rishi Sunak has held onto his Richmond and Northallerton seat, avoiding becoming the first sitting prime minister to lose his place in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake has kept hold of his seat in Thirsk and Malton, securing 19,544 votes.
Fellow party colleague Julian Smith also held his seat of Skipton and Ripon - securing over 18,000 votes.
Staying with Conservatives, Alex Shelbrooke has been elected as the MP for Wetherby and Easingwold.
Elsewhere, Labour's Keir Mather, Britain's youngest MP, has been elected MP for Selby.
The candidate, who held the seat for Selby and Ainsty, until boundary commission reviews last year, secured 22,788 votes, or 46.3 per cent.
For York Central, Labour's Rachael Maskell retains her seat - picking up 24,537 votes.