Conservatives win final general election seat
The general election has finally drawn to a close after the Conservatives held Staffordshire South.
Sir Patrick Cormack, who has held the seat since 1983, secured an increased majority of 8,847 – seven weeks after the rest of the results had been declared.
The election in Staffordshire South was called off just prior to polling day following the death of Liberal Democrat candidate Jo Harrison.
Under electoral rules, if a candidate dies after the nominations period had closed the election must be re-run.
It was the first time in nearly 50 years that an election has been suspended in this manner.
Sir Patrick secured 13,343 votes, with Labour’s Paul Kalinauckas in second with 4,496 and Joanne Crotty for the Liberal Democrats in third with 3,450.
Following his victory, the veteran Conservative MP revealed that he would be asking the Electoral Commission to re-examine the laws that led to the election being delayed.
“One of the candidates got less than 100 votes tonight,” he said.
“If he had died yesterday we would have had to go through it all over again.”
Staffordshire South result
Sir Patrick Cormack, Conservative – 13,343 votes
Paul Kalinauckas, Labour – 4,496
Jo Crotty, Lib Dem – 3,450
Malcolm Hurst, UKIP – 2,675
Garry Bushell, English Democrats – 643
Kate Spohrer, Green – 437
Adrian Davies, Freedom Party – 434
Rev David Braid, Christian Democrat – 67
