Labour take seat from Tory veterans’ minister

Fred Thomas says it a privilege and honour to serve Plymouth Moor View

Labour’s Fred Thomas ended Conservative Johnny Mercer ‘s reign in Plymouth Moor View with a 5,600 majority at the general election, saying it was “the privilege of a lifetime”.

Exit polls had predicted a 99 per cent that Mr Mercer, a former army captain and until Thursday veterans’ minister, would lose to the Labour candidate who left the royal marines last year.

The Moor View seat was the first of the three Plymouth seats to be declared at the Life Centre around 5am. Turnout was 58 per cent.

Johnny Mercer had held the Moor View seat since 2015 and in the last election in 2019 had a 12,897 majority.

Labour activists threw their weight behind Mr Thomas’ campaign in Plymouth and in his winning speech he paid tribute to them and to the Plymouth’s Labour-run city council.

“I am over the moon, honoured and delighted and it really is a privilege of a lifetime to be elected as a Labour MP for the community that I live in, my neighbours.”

He said he had been hopeful the electorate would choose change and put their faith in him and the Labour party.

Mr Thomas said residents wanted to see politics back in the service of ordinary people which it hadn’t been under a Conservative government: “I think that is the reason for the relatively big swing,” he said.

“I will do everything in my power to make sure that Plymouth benefits from Labour’s green prosperity plan that will create thousands of jobs in the south west and have a relentless focus on the skills pathways in the city to ensure that our young people and our not so young people benefit.”

He added he would always be a strong voice for defence and was realistic about the challenges ahead and the practical, common sense steps it would take to fix them.

“There is no magic wand but the Labour party has a laser focus on what it will take to get Britain’s future back” he said.

Mr Mercer left the Life Centre shortly after the result was declared and did not comment.

Luke Pollard was re-elected for a third term in the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport seat with a 13,328 majority with Reform UK ahead of the Conservatives in second place.

Rebecca Smith retained the South West Devon seat for the Conservatives which had been been held by Sir Gary Streeter.

Plymouth Moor View results:

Fred Thomas (Labour): 17,665

Johnny Mercer (Conservative): 12,061

Shaun Hooper (Reform UK): 9,670 votes.

Sarah Martin (Liberal Democrat) 1,766

Georgia Nelson (Green)  1,694