Conservatives hold Dorset South

Conservatives hold Dorset South, with Richard Drax returning to Parliament.

Richard Drax won the seat over Labour’s Simon Bowkett, Lib Dem’s Howard Legg, UKIP’s Malcolm Shakesby, Green’s Jane Burnet, Movement for Democracy’s Andy Kirkwood, and Independent’s Mervyn Stewkesbury.

Dorset South was a comfortable Conservative seat, apart from a brief Labour representation after a 1962 by-election. Since then, it was held very narrowly by the Tory’s in 1997, and in 2001 it was one of only two Labour gains after the Lib Dem vote was heavily squeezed by tactical voting. It was once again regained by the Tory’s, with Richard Drax representing the party.

Figures to come later.