Stunning Success in Shropshire

Lib Dem Helen Morgan wins Shropshire North in massive swing away from Conservatives

After a bold, ambitious and tireless campaign led by local activist Helen, the voters have given a clear opinion on the current government and in particular the man at the top. In a 34% swing, Lib Dems have turned a Tory majority of almost 23,000 in 2019 into a near 6,000 vote deficit.

In her victory speech, Morgan, a 46-year-old accountant and parish councillor, repeatedly targeted the prime minister, saying Conservative voters had been "dismayed by Boris Johnson's lack of decency and fed up with being taken for granted".

"Tonight, the people of North Shropshire have spoken on behalf of the British people," she told the count in Shrewsbury. "They have said loudly and clearly: Boris Johnson, the party is over."

While earlier prime ministers "believed in a sense of national service", Morgan said, with Johnson it was "all about you and never about us". She added: "Our country is crying out for leadership. Mr Johnson, you are no leader."

Amongst the many issues brought up on the doorstep by Shropshire electors was the decision to 'parachute' in a barrister from Birmingham to be the Tory candidate. A lack of local knowledge was clearly a factor in his defeat. However it did not seem to be an issue in Derbyshire Dales in 2019 when a barrister living in Essex won comfortably in this 'safe' Tory seat.

Perhaps the electorate are beginning to realise that this is not how democracy is supposed to work. Surely above all else an MP is supposed to be a representative of the community, not someone chosen to reliably vote how their leader tells them.