Co-op Party bolsters Labour’s general election success

In a night that saw Theresa May’s Conservative Party miss out on the 326 seat majority needed to form a full government, the Co-operative Party has elected a record number of MPs to parliament and helped Labour close the gap on the Tories.

The Co-op Party, which has an electoral partnership with Labour, saw 38 out of 51 candidates elected. All 28 Labour & Co-operative candidates defending their seats were re-elected, including those three who held positions in Jeremy Corbyn’s last shadow cabinet.

Kate Osamor (shadow international development minister) held Edmonton with 71.5% of votes. Jonathan Ashworth (shadow health minister) held Leicester South (73.5%) and Christina Rees (shadow minister for Wales) held Neath (56.7%).

The Co-op Party saw 10 straight gains up and down the country, from Plymouth Sutton & Devonport to Glasgow North East, but the biggest winner was Louise Ellman in Liverpool Riverside, where she received 40,599 votes (84.5%).

The tally of 38 seats is the highest ever held by the Co-operative Party, which this year is celebrating its centenary.

“There are going to be so many great @UKLabour and @CoopParty MPs in the next Parliament,” tweeted general secretary Claire McCarthy.

There are going to be so many great @UKLabour & @CoopParty MPs in the next Parliament… more later…

— Claire McCarthy (@CoopClaire) June 9, 2017

She added: “The Co-operative Party was clear that we wanted to achieve two things in yesterday’s General Election; a strong co-operative policy offer from our Sister Party, and increased representation of co-operators in Parliament.

“We are really pleased that we achieved both of these objectives. In our centenary year we have achieved the largest ever grouping of Co-operative MPs, with 38 – they will be the third largest political party grouping in this Parliament and a strong voice for the co-operative movement.”

In Harrow West, Gareth Thomas, Co-operative Party chair was re-elected with 30,640 votes. “Honoured to have been re-elected as MP for the seat I grew up in and still live in. A huge thank you to the people of Harrow West.” he tweeted.

Honoured to have been re-elected as MP for the seat I grew up in and still live in. A huge thank you to the people of Harrow West @gdh1961

— Gareth Thomas (@GarethThomasMP) June 9, 2017

One of the surprise wins was in Stroud, where David Drew beat Conservative Neil Carmichael by 681 votes.

“Nobody expected this, including me,” he said. “I’ve lost twice in the last seven years, I didn’t expect to come back. It was a shock. But with snap elections sometime people who call them regret that and others gain from that, I have gained.”

Labour/Co-op seats won

Labour/Co-op seats lost

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