Conservatives re-capture seat following former MP’s defection

Considered a Tory safe seat until the EU referendum split the constituency in favour of remain, the Tories will be relieved to have held on in the face of a pro-remain tactical vote surge.

Mr Browne won with 31,015 - 46.1 per cent, a slight drop from the party's 2017 result of 51.8 per cent.

Liberal Democrat Ian Sollom received 28,111 votes, 41.8 per cent, which is a swing from the party's 18.6 per cent in 2017.

Labour's Dan Greef received 7,803, or 11.6 per cent, which is a considerable drop from the party's 27.2 per cent in 2017.

Speaking from the stage, Mr Browne said he will "absolutely repay" the trust of the voters.

He said: "As I speak it seems almost certain there will be quite a significant Conservative government majority. We have now had one referendum, and two general election campaigns where the British public have voted for Brexit.

"It's time we just get it over and done with and that we move on. We need to stop the fighting and just move on as a country - reunite the country - and move on to all the other issues that we need to focus on that affect our day to day lives.

"Now is the time to bring the country back together, not to divide them. This government must be a one nation government that rules in the interests of everyone in Britain from wherever they hail from, whatever their walks of life.

"It has been a long evening to end a long and often difficult campaign. And it's humbling to represent in parliament my home constituency, where I grew up, where I was educated, to be the representative of the schools I went to, of my family and many life long friends.

"And I make this promise. That I will do what I have been elected to do, and I will fight with every ounce of my energy to represent in Westminster the interests of this constituency and everyone who lives in it."

The turnout was 77.03 per cent, a slight increase on the 2017 turnout of 76.2 per cent. 67,237 votes were cast in total.