Politics

General election 2019: the MPs most at risk


The UK is heading for its first December election since 1923 and, with politics in flux, some current MPs will be worried about entering the new year without a job.

Here is a list of those who are most at risk owing to slim majorities and an electorate that is out of step with their views on Brexit.

Constituencies to keep an eye on

Chipping Barnet: Theresa Villiers – Conservative (won by 353 votes)

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers only just held on to her north London seat in 2017. She was a prominent Leaver during the referendum campaign, while Barnet voted 62.2% to remain. Villiers is up against Labour’s Emma Whysall, who ran her close last time and describes herself as an “unrepentant Remainer”.

Preseli Pembrokeshire: Stephen Crabb – Conservative (won by 314 votes)

A former cabinet minister and government whip, Stephen Crabb backed Remain during the referendum, while his Welsh constituency voted to leave by a margin of 57.1%. He has since said that he backs the Brexit vote, but like Villiers is running against a Labour candidate, Philippa Thompson, who pushed him close in 2017.

Kensington: Emma Dent Coad – Labour (won by 20 votes)

Remain-supporting Emma Dent Coad became Kensington’s first ever Labour MP when she won the seat in 2017. The constituency voted 68.7% in favour of EU membership, but in December she will test her popularity in a three-way contest against Conservative candidate Felicity Buchan and former Conservative leadership candidate Sam Gyimah, who defected to the Liberal Democrats in September and who has chosen to stand in Kensington rather than his current seat, East Surrey.

Canterbury: Rosie Duffield – Labour (won by 187 votes)

Canterbury had elected Conservative politicians in every election during the 1900s, so Rosie Duffield’s win by a margin of 187 votes in the 2017 general election was another huge success for Labour. Duffield is a Remainer, putting her out of step with her constituents, who voted 51% in favour of Leave, and is going up against a vocal Brexiteer in Conservative candidate Anna Firth.

Hastings & Rye: Amber Rudd (won by 346 votes and is stepping down)

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd this morning announced that she would not be standing in December. She won Hastings & Rye by just 346 votes in 2017. The race between Labour’s Peter Chowney, who ran against Rudd, and the Conservative candidate could be close. The constituency voted to leave the EU by a margin of 54.9%-45.1%.

Barrow & Furness: John Woodcock – Independent (won by 209 votes)

John Woodcock ran as a Labour candidate in the 2017 election, but resigned to sit as an independent after arguing that the party had been “taken over by the hard left”. He has a slim majority in his constituency, which voted 60.6% in favour of Leave in 2016. Woodcock is up against Labour candidate Chris Altree, but Conservative Simon Fell may also fancy his chances of attracting Leave voters.

Other seats at risk

Fife North East (voted 58.6% to remain in 2016): Stephen Gethins – SNP (won by 2 votes)

Perth & North Perthshire (61.1% Remain): Pete Wishart – SNP (won by 21 votes)

Southampton Itchen (53.8% Leave): Royston Smith – Conservative (won by 31 votes)

Newcastle-under-Lyme (63% Leave): Paul Farrelly – Labour (won by 30 votes and is stepping down in 2019)

Richmond Park (69.3% Remain): Zac Goldsmith – Conservative (won by 45 votes)

Crewe & Nantwich (51.2% Leave): Laura Smith – Labour (won by 48 votes)

Glasgow South West (66.6% Remain): Chris Stephens – SNP (won by 60 votes)

Glasgow East (56.2% Remain): David Linden – SNP (won by 75 votes)

Stirling (67.7% Remain): Stephen Kerr – Conservative (won by 148 votes)

Pudsey (51.4% Remain): Stuart Andrew – Conservative (won by 331 votes)



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