THE CONSERVATIVES had reclaimed Eastleigh from the Liberal Democrats after more than 20 years since they last held the seat.

Winning candidate Mims Davies said she was “overjoyed” as she took a lead of more than 9,000 votes to secure Eastleigh.

Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton had been voted in at the 2013 by-election but was beaten by the 39-year old mum of two who becomes the constituency's first female MP.

Describing Mike Thornton as a “fine opponent” she said: “I will work extremely hard for Eastleigh, I will do my absolute best for a strong voice for Eastleigh.

“We've made history as the Conservative party in Eastleigh back in 1992 we had a Conservative MP and I'm the first female MP for Eastleigh.

“We've put Eastleigh back on the map.”

Activists from both parties become more convinced that Tories would win the seat as the counters sorted the ballot papers.

Looking glum, Mike Thornton entered the Fleming Park Leisure Centre to applause but conceded defeat within moments.

The Lib Dem candidate believed that his loss was due to Conservative voters not wanting to risk losing the seat to Labour.

He said: “I got very few people having a go at me. They said to me 'we know you're local and that you do a good job but we can't vote for you because we can't risk losing the seat to Labour'.”

He added: “We knew when we started that it wasn't going to be easy. It was different circumstances to last time. When they voted this time they voted for government, it wasn't a local thing.”

Here are the Eastleigh results in full:

  • Declan Clune, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition - 114
  • Patricia Culligan, UKIP - 8,783
  • Mims Davies, Tories - 23,464
  • Ray Hall, Beer, Baccy and Scratchings - 133
  • Mark Latham, Labour - 7,181 Ron Meldrum, Green - 1,513
  • Mike Thornton, Lib Dem - 14,317

Turnout 69.9%