BISHOP AUCKLAND’S first Conservative MP in the constituency’s 134-year history took her seat in parliament this week saying her first act will be to vote for the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal on Friday.
Dehenna Davison made history when she secured a majority of almost 8,000, ousting Labour’s Helen Goodman, who had held the seat for 14 years.
Having travelled to London on Sunday to begin setting up home in the House of Commons, Ms Davison said: “Our constituency voted to leave, our region voted to leave and our country voted to leave and now we need to deliver that.”
Ms Davison was odds-on favourite with bookmakers BetFred to clinch the Bishop Auckland constituency last Thursday night and it became clear shortly after 10.10pm when the first ballot boxes began arriving that she had an early lead.
The Conservative county councillor Richard Bell anticipated a win with a 2,000 majority, but when the result was called at 3am on Friday, it revealed a thumping majority of 7,962.
Ms Davison said: “I’m really overwhelmed and I just want to thank the Bishop Auckland residents, who want a better society and want to see a change, for voting for me.
“I’m totally honoured to work with them to build a better Bishop Auckland.”
In her acceptance speech Ms Davison paid tribute to her late father and grandmother, who she said “taught me hard work and graft” .
She added: “I have been given the opportunity to change the area for the better and I will not waste that.
“It is not about maintaining the status quo. It is about transitioning and it starts with getting Brexit done.
“We will work to transform the area and invest in our police, NHS and transport and so Mr Hancock I’ll be in touch about A&E at Bishop. For me this shows it doesn’t matter if you grow up on a farm in Teesdale or in a council house like I did in Sheffield. You can be the writer of your own story and I just want to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity.”
Conceding defeat, Ms Goodman said the result was “disappointing” .
She added she had “never known such a mendacious and deceitful Tory campaign” , but laid the blame on the loss of her seat squarely with the Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
She added: “It’s not nice to lose your seat. It’s become clear the path to No10 is through Bishop Auckland.
“There was a lot of criticism of Jeremy Corbyn and people saying if it wasn’t for him they would be voting Labour.
“He doesn’t command the respect of the public.
“The Labour party is not going to win until it has a leader who can command the respect of the British public,” she said.
The Brexit Party candidate Nick Brown, who was suffering from a crick in the neck, secured 2,500 votes.
The Witton Park resident said: “I’ve literally got a massive pain in the neck.
“It’s definitely what I expected to be honest and you have to hand it to the Conservatives and the amount they have thrown at it, so credit to them.”
Liberal Democrat candidate Ray Georgeson claimed 2,133 votes. He said: “It has gone as well as expected.”
A total of 44,936 votes were cast and the turnout was 65.92 per cent, an increase of 1.85 per cent compared to the 2017 general election. There were 131 votes rejected.
Cllr Bell said the votes had been discounted due “none of the above” and “green party” scribbled on ballot papers.
In Richmond, chief secretary to the treasury, Rishi Sunak, increased his majority being re-elected as Conservative MP, securing 36,693 votes. His closest rival Labour candidate Thomas Kirkwood received 9,483.
