General Election 2019: Rochester and Strood result live
Published: 21:45, 12 December 2019
Updated: 05:56, 13 December 2019
- Kelly Tolhurst retains her seat extending her majority by a huge amount
- The Conservative polls 31,151 - a majority of 17,072 with 59.9% share
- 63.5% turnout - down on 2017
After weeks of campaigning, voters have now decided who they want to represent them in parliament following the first December General Election since 1923.
There were six candidates on the ballot paper in Rochester and Strood - with Conservative Kelly Tolhurst retaining her seat.
Follow our live blog for details on the results across Kent as they come in.
Follow our reporters Matt Leclere and Katie May Nelson on Twitter as they bring news from the Medway count.
LIVE
5am
That's all folks - full reaction across the county is on the KentOnline homepage and we'll have a full story on the night on the Medway page.
4.45am
4.30am
It's a massive majority for Miss Tolhurst of 17,072 - here are the other numbers:
Graham Colley (Lib Dem) 3717
Roy Freshwater (Ukip) 1080
Sonia Hyner (Green) 1312
Teresa Murray (Lab) 14079
Chris Spalding (Ind) 587
4.24am
RESULT:
4am
Meanwhile, the snacks are keeping us going still
3.40am
3am
Here's the picture across Kent so far
2.40am
Cllr Andy Stamp (Lab) says Brexit dominated during his campaign in Gillingham and Rainham.
The ward councillor Gillingham North said: "Clearly there was an underlying issue and that was Brexit, that has been the dominant feature of this election and that's ultimately decided the outcome of this election despite their concerns about the NHS, despite their concerns about education, despite the fact that record numbers of people are having to use foodbanks, the number of rough sleepers has more than doubled over the last nine years, the fact that record numbers of children are living in poverty.
"All of those issues are still there regardless of whether Brexit was an issue or not."
2.00am
Anna McGovern, chair of Medway Youth Council, says climate change has been top of the agenda for young people voting in this year's election.
She said: "In a recent national ballot for young people called Make Your Mark, 40% of young people in Medway prioritise climate change as something they want to be put forward as a national campaign."
The 18 year old recently spoke to KentOnline about young people's role in politics.
1.50am
The turnout for Rochester and Strood has been returned. 39,670 people voted which is less than in 2017.
1.40am
Alan Bullion, who is contesting the Gillingham and Rainham seat, says Brexit isn't the only thing people have been raising their concerns about this election.
1.15am
1.10am
Hearing it's going to be a long night still with counts still being verified and checked including postal votes
12.50am
WATCH: Cllr Tristan Osbourne speaks about Labour's prospects after tonight
Cllr Tristan Osbourne (Lab), who represents Luton and Wayfield, says in response tonight's exit poll - which predicts 191 seats for Labour - that the results are a "a warning message.
"Labour has lost momentum. It is losing ground in many areas of the north and west midlands.
"There's a whole agenda here and the party really needs to review why we have lost this election what messages we need to be re-focussing (on) and really look at our agenda where we have failed over the last four years."
Mr Osbourne will be among guests on the KMTV sofa later this morning.
12.30am
To see who was elected in Rochester and Strood in 2017, click here.
For all other General Election news, click here.
Read more: All the latest news from Medway
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Matt Leclere