SIOBHAN Baillie has become Stroud's first ever female MP after defeating Labour's David Drew at the 2019 General Election.

The Conservatives gained the constituency from Labour after winning a majority of 3,840.

Ms Baillie won 31,582 votes, while Mr Drew won 27, 742.

Speaking to the SNJ after the result was announced, Ms Baillie said:"I’m absolutely thrilled to bits. It’s a real endorsement of my team's work and everything that we’ve done here since I’ve been a candidate since August 2018.

"It's the biggest privilege and honour I’ve ever had."

Stroud's new MP said she will be getting straight to work.

"I’ve already been working on high streets and transports and further education and I’ll continue that work right away," she said.

"I’ve been going around canvassing so I know the residents will be in my inbox and talking to me about a number of issues.

"And nationally we’ve all pledged as Conservative candidates to deliver the first stage of Brexit to stop all the squabbling on that basis."

 

Full results as follows:

Siobhan Baillie, Conservatives: 31,582

David Drew, Labour: 27, 742

Molly Scott Cato, Green Party: 4,954

Desi Latimer, Brexit Party: 1,086

Glenville Gogerly, Libertarian Party: 567

 

It was a disappointing night for David Drew, who was vying to serve Stroud for a fifth term of office.

Following the defeat, Mr Drew said: "It's not been the easiest campaign, but none of us will ever give up fighting for what we believe in.”

The Green Party's Molly Scott Cato won 4,954 votes, the best result the Green Party have ever had in Stroud.

Desi Latimer of the Brexit Party won 1,086 votes, with the Libertarian Party's Glenville Gogerly winning 567.

Speaking to the SNJ following the result, Molly Scott Cato said: "What we have to do is to start persuading all our green voters who voted tactically for Labour to actually come back to the Green party.

"We have to build a majority for greens here because if we're going to carry on with this terrible electoral system then this is the kind of seat we have.

"I’m determined that Stroud will have a green MP, it may be me it may be somebody else."

It has been a bitterly disappointing night for the Labour Party as a whole, with leader Jeremy Corbyn announcing he will step down with his party heading towards a crushing defeat with a Conservative majority expected.