General Election 2024: Liberal Democrat Ian Sollom defeats Conservative Anthony Browne to win new St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire seat

Liberal Democrat Ian Sollom has been elected as MP for the new constituency of St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire.

He defeated Conservative Anthony Browne into second place.

Dr Sollom won 19,517 votes to Mr Browne’s 14,896. Reform UK may have hurt Conservative chances here, with candidate Guy Lachlan winning 5,673 votes.

Mr Browne was elected in 2019 as Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire, but switched to the newly-created St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, where he resumed his battle with Dr Sollom, who he defeated five years ago.

This time, the Liberal Democrat emerged victorious.

In his acceptance speech, Dr Sollom said: “It looks like it’s been a really great night for the Liberal Democrats.”

Afterwards, Dr Sollom said: "It's been a special night for the Lib Dems - a historic night. It will be a new era in Parliament.

"I think the Lib Dems have an important role to play. The Conservatives will be in disarray - there will be a lot of soul searching in the Conservative Party at this point. The Lib Dems must go in and be the strong opposition as the third party."

His victory came as fellow Liberal Democrat Pippa Heylings was elected in South Cambridgeshire.

The count for both took place at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford and the two celebrated together.

St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire result

Anthony Browne (Conservative) - 14,896
Stephen Ferguson (Independent) - 2,941
Kathryn Fisher (Green) - 2,664
Guy Lachlan (Reform UK) - 5,673
Marianna Masters (Labour) - 6,918
Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrats) - 19,517 ELECTED
Bev White (Party of Women) -274

Turnout: 67.89 per cent

The constituency was created by the Boundary Commission amid a growing population in the area.

It includes Cambourne and Northstowe, transferred from South Cambridgeshire, along with Histon and Impington and Willingham and Over, which were transferred from South East Cambridgeshire - a constituency replaced by Ely and East Cambridgeshire.