THE Tory candidate for the Tiverton & Honiton by-election reportedly “locked herself in the dance studio” of the sports centre as the count took place early on Friday morning.
The Tories lost the safe Devon seat – vacated after Neil Parish’s porn-watching scandal – with the LibDems overturning their majority on a nearly 30% swing.
After the polls closed on Thursday, it was expected that the LibDems would be victorious. And as the count continued into the early hours, it was reported that the Conservative pick for the by-election had locked herself into a room at Crediton sports centre and was refusing to speak to journalists.
READ MORE: Oliver Dowden quits as Conservative chairman after party's by-election misery
LBC journalist Theo Usherwood announced on Twitter: “The Tory candidate Helen Hurford in the Tiverton by election has just locked herself in the dance studio at Crediton sports centre.”
Following the Tory loss, the newly elected LibDem MP Richard Foord took the opportunity to criticise Hurford’s approach to the campaign. She was criticised for her lack of visibility and for refusing many media appearances.
Asked if her approach had been an issue for voters in Tiverton and Honiton, Foord said: “The Conservatives will fight their campaigns in the way they see fit, but we in the Liberal Democrats we’ve fought a very positive campaign, we’ve fought a campaign that’s set out our stall rather than pointing to any downsides or shortcomings of the Conservative campaign.”
Foord continued: “But I do think that people have looked at the national picture and I do indeed think people have looked at Boris Johnson as Prime Minister and have decided to send a message that rural places like Tiverton and Honiton won’t be taken for granted any longer.”
READ MORE: Brexiteer journalist Harry Cole shocked by post-Brexit visa charges
Foord also described his victory as “absolutely staggering”.
Speaking just after the vote was declared, he said: “This result is absolutely staggering, we weren’t expecting a win, let alone a win of this scale.”
Foord added: “We have been noticing that momentum has been shifting from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats over the course of this campaign and particularly in recent days because of the very positive agenda we were setting out.
“But this is absolutely seismic and we have overturned the biggest majority in parliamentary by-election history and it really sent a very clear message to this Government.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel