Labour will represent Ashford for the first time in Westminster after gaining the seat from the Conservative Party.

Candidate Sojan Joseph won the parliamentary election in the constituency ahead of incumbent MP Damian Green - who had held the seat for the previous 27 years.

Mr Joseph scooped a majority of 1,779 after 15,262 constituents voted for him.

The result was announced following a count at the town’s Stour Centre just after 4.30am.

This year’s results show Labour gained 2,000 more votes compared to the 2019 election.

Mr Joseph’s nearest rival was Mr Green who came second after acquiring 13,483 votes.

Reform’s Tristram Kennedy Harper came third with 10,141 votes, followed by Mandy Rossi of the Green Party with 4,355.

Meanwhile, Adam Rowledge, of the Liberal Democrats scooped 2,445 votes - despite not turning up to attend the result - ahead of James Ransley of the Consensus Party with 1,289.

The overall turnout was 62% and a total of 164 votes were also rejected.

Labour is celebrating huge wins over the Tories in Kent, with the Lib Dems also picking up their first-ever seat in the county.

The victories come amid a Labour landslide nationally - putting Keir Starmer in Downing Street with a huge majority.

New Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells Mike Martin described the night’s results as a “political earthquake” in Kent.

In Kent, Labour won 11 seats, the Conservatives kept hold of six and the Lib Dems gained one.

It means the Tories have lost in 10 seats in the county they previously held - and even came third in Dover, with Reform finishing second.

In Ashford, Mr Green had already labelled his chances of winning as “touch-and-go” throughout the evening.

After conceding defeat, he then addressed the count floor saying: "I congratulate Sojan and Labour on their victory.

"I am proud to have served the people of Ashford for 27 years.

“It means my wife Alicia is going to be spending more time with me, although I don’t know if that will be good for her - or me.”

He later added: “Thank you to everyone who voted for me and I’m sorry about the result.

“I wish my former constituents well.”

Prior to his defeat, Mr Green was one of just two MPs to have been in the hot seat in Ashford during the last 50 years, after Keith Speed, who was first elected in 1974, and then Green himself in 1997.

Speaking to KentOnline after the result, Mr Joseph says he will focus his attention on improving the lives of Ashford residents.

He said: “I have worked in the NHS for more than 20 years and talk to patients every day.

“I understand first-hand the experiences people are struggling with.

“Improving the town centre and roads, plus helping small businesses are just some of the things I aim to do for people in Ashford.

“The town needs some energy and I plan to work with residents, MPs and the council to revitalise it.

“Becoming an MP means it’s not about me but the people, and I want to learn a lot of things.

“My constituency office will be based in Ashford as I plan to listen and respond to the people here.

“But tonight is a historic moment.

“I have lived in Willesborough since 2008, and before that I was at Godinton Park.

“So I know this town and know it needs infrastructure such as more GPs, school places and public services in general.”

Mr Joseph becomes the first Labour MP to ever represent Ashford since the seat was formed 139 years ago.

It also means Mr Green, who declined to comment to KentOnline following the result, will no longer be MP for Ashford for the first time since 1997.

However, Mandy Rossi, the Green Party’s candidate for the fourth successive general election in Ashford, was ecstatic with her group’s results.

She said: “I’m really pleased with how well we’ve done.

“This particular election with Reform has obviously been difficult, but Sojan is about collaboration.

“So it’s been a good night and we’ve done ourselves proud.

“Our aim now is to keep building and continue our increasing success in Ashford.”

A total of 262 polling staff across 132 polling stations - 61 in Ashford and 71 for the Weald of Kent - were at the leisure centre throughout the night.

Eighty-six counters were also kept busy from 10pm onwards.

Meanwhile, six candidates were part of a new-look constituency covering far less ground than it used to following a major shake-up.

A review by the Boundary Commission for England has led to the county's constituencies being changed to ensure each MP represents roughly the same number of voters.

The single Ashford parliamentary constituency has now been split between two – Ashford and a brand new seat called the Weald of Kent.

The reconfigured Ashford region has an electorate of 76,212 people - compared to 94,054 previously.

As a result, voters in places such as Tenterden, Benenden and Cranbrook voted under the umbrella of the Weald of Kent, rather than the Ashford constituency.

A total of 24 out of Ashford's 39 borough council wards, plus towns such as Hawkinge on the outskirts of Folkestone, have fallen within the new Ashford constituency.