Fifteen million people are thought to be going to the polls today and among them thousands of Nailsea people.

Following a long day and night and further day we now have a Conservative government for the next  five years but here is the picture locally.

In North Somerset 80,161 people are entitled to vote although a fair proportion will have opted for a postal vote in advance of Thursday, May 7 - election day. 

In the end 59,164 people turned out to vote and give Conservative candidate Liam Fox his biggest ever majority.

The general election choice was between five candidates for the North Somerset constituency – a seat held by Scottish-born doctor Liam Fox for the past 23 years.

It has mostly been good natured campaign between the prospective parliamentarians with lots of handshakes and hugs at the hustings and out on the street canvassing.

The only exception to warrant a complaint is a few defaced and/or missing Lib Dem posters.

But perhaps the most odd and expensive political faux pas is the Ukip billboard.

It has put up in the wrong constituency at next door Weston-super-Mare to remind voters why Dr Fox resigned at defence minister using a wedding photo with best man Adam Werritty.

Okay four good men and true with the exception of Ukip for muck raking the past.

Well I say bring on woman power so I will vote for Hillary Clinton for US democratic president!

Also bringing a bit of humour in the proceedings have been the postings on social media including a Specsavers poster with glasses in different political colours by Nailsea’s former Miss Iceland and dispense optician Ellie Taylor.

And overheard at the polling booths on Thursday were some choice gems.

 

'I am voting Conservative because if I don't Ukip will win'

 

'I wanted to vote Green for the district election but a no-one was standing I added a box'

 

'I voted for the new chap as the other one has been a councillor a long time and I think people should take turns'

 

The main issues on the doorstep have been the environment including the proposed pylons link to Bridgwater, more housing and lack of local amenities and the NHS and the cottage hospital at Clevedon.

 

STANDING FOR NORTH SOMERSET CONSTITUENCY 

Liam Fox – Conservative

Right wing Dr Fox, aged 53, is married to fellow doctor Jesme Baird who also hails from East Kilbride. He was first elected as an MP in 1992 for the formerly named Woodspring (renamed North Somerset for the 2010 General Election). He has held numerous positions in the Conservative Party, including Shadow Secretary of State for Heath, Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party and Shadow Foreign Secretary. Although tipped by many as a future PM he was unsuccessful in his 2005 Conservative leadership bid and then lost his job as Secretary of State for Defence.

 

Marcus Kravis – Liberal Democrat

Marcus, aged 45, has lived and worked in Somerset for the past 21 years.  The proud Clevedon father of three teenagers has been in the tourism, leisure and catering business throughout his working career and now is also a director of a renewable energy company. Marcus became involved in local politics and was elected as a councillor at the age of 26 and returned to politics just a few years ago after a significant time out concentrating on business and family life.

 

Greg Chambers – Labour

The 37-year-old hospital doctor comes from Somerton, Somerset. With a maths and philosophy degree from Leeds University, a year out in Italy and then a spell in IT Greg returned to the West Country to read medicine at Exeter University. With partner Ravinder and baby daughter Gabriela the couple plan to set up home locally with Greg working as a locum.

 

David Derbyshire – Green

David, 45, is a food scientist who is married with two children and has lived in Nailsea for 10 years. He worked in retailing, manufacturing and consulting in the food industry before moving into IT and is currently interim chief executive of ERIC, a small national children's charity begun by the Children’s Society in 1988 dealing with childhood continence.

 

Ian Kealey - UKIP

The Somerset businessman is a former nuclear physicist who has taught mathematics at Nailsea and Backwell schools. In 2012 he pulled out of the Avon & Somerset police commissioner elections blaming the costs of campaigning and the £5,000 deposit required to stand in the election. The 53-year-old farmer, who lives near Wells is reported to have received a £30,000 donated from the financier who cost Liam Fox his foreign office job.

 

For more stories and photos go to the Political Peeps page by clicking HERE.

 

STOP PRESS: The results were announced two hours later than expected at 7.30am. North Somerset returned Conservative MP Dr Liam Fox with 54 per cent of the votes and a 7,862 majority. It was the first time the Labour Party candidate came second with 14 per cent of the vote with UKIP and the Lib Dems both polling 13 per cent. the Greens polled 6.5 per cent.

 

RESULTS FOR 2015

Conservative Dr Liam Fox 31,540

Labour Greg Chambers 8,441

UKIP Ian Kealey 7,669

Liberal Democrat Marcus Kravis 7,486

Greens David Derbyshire 3,806

 

At the 2010 general election North Somerset returned Conservative MP Dr Liam Fox with 49.3 per cent of the votes and a 7,862 majority.

 

RESULTS FOR 2010

Conservative Dr Liam Fox 28,549

Liberal Democrat Brian Mathew 20,687

Labour Steve Parry-Hearn 6,448

UKIP Sue Taylor 2,257

 

Three other candidates who hail from Nailsea are seeking election to the House of Commons in different parts of the country. They are:

 

Claire Perry – Conservative RE-ELECTED 28,295 VOTES (58 PER CENT)

Dubbed a ‘Cameron cutie’ the 51-year-old former Nailsea School pupil recently renewed friendships with her old teachers on a visit to the town. She completed her education at Brasenose College, Oxford and Harvard Business School. The separated mother-of-three lives with Cambridge professor William O'Neill. She was elected as MP for Devizes in May 2010 and has since served as Secretary of State for the Department for Transport with responsibility for the railways, road freight and agencies.

 

James Heappey – Conservative ELECTED 26,247 VOTES (46 PER CENT)

Another would-be politician with Nailsea connections is James Heappey who now lives in Axbridge with his wife Kate and his two children, Charlie and Matilda. James, 34, is the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Wells. His mother Anita has served on Nailsea Town Council and North Somerset Council. While at QEH school James played for Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club as junior captain.  In an attempt to oust Lib Dem Tessa Munt who won by just 800 votes last time both Prime Minister David Cameron and family friend Dr Fox has been out canvassing for James. After a stint in the army James  once worked at the London office of Dr Fox as a political researcher.

 

Libby Brown – Green NOT ELECTIONED 3,401 VOTES (7 PER CENT)

Former Nailsea School pupil Libby Brown, aged 20, is standing for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. Libby is an occupation therapy student at Plymouth University. Libby won a debating competition while at Nailsea School and became politically active after a visit to Westminster with Dr Fox which was part of her prize. Her parents Gill and David still live locally and are keen environmentalists.

 

And two other Conservative MPs with family living in Nailsea romped home in the General Election to win another term in office.

Jack Lopresti pollied 22,920 votes (47 per cent) at Filton & Bradley Stoke and Tracey Crouch got 21,614 votes (50 per cent) at Chatham and Aylesford. the PM made a good call this week when he made the FA-qualified football coach of a girls’ under-18 side and staunch Spurs supporter has just be made sports minister. 

 

Mock elections have been held at Backwell and Nailsea comprehensive schools and Fairfield preparatory primary at Backwell. 

The Greens won at Nailsea School. the the Linemere Party topped the poll at Fairfield.

The Linemere winner promised to carry out everything in their manifesto which included pupils to teach teachers, a school disco and a teachers rounders match.

The result at Backwell will be added when we have it.

 

STANDING FOR NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL - see full list below

Shock horror in the district elections as long-serving Conservative councillor Jeremy Blatchford has been ousted although his wife Mary saved her seat by just five votes.

And that was even after announcing that Nailsea was at long last to get its own swimming pool days before the council went into purdah.

Jeremy was part of the 'inner circle' of Tories led by his schoolfriend Nigel Ashton, of Portishead.

‎On the executive he had responsibiltiy for Children and Young People.

And James Tonkin a long-standing town councillor beat Conservative candidate Anne Kemp.

The council has reduced the number of councillors to 50 so someone had to go.

There are four separate North Somerset Council wards for Nailsea each to return one candidate.

Of the 162,959 people eligible to vote in the district elections 111,444 cast their votes.

This represents a turnout of 68.39 per cent with 154,667 votes cast as in some wards more than one person could be elected.

The results are:

 

Nailsea Golden Valley

Andy Cole Independent 1,890 ELECTED

Jeremy Blatchford Conservative 838

 

Nailsea West End

James Tonkin Independent 1,251 ELECTED

Anne Kemp Conservative 951

 

Nailsea Yeo

Mary Blatchford Conservative 998 ELECTED

Julie Day Independent 993

 

Nailsea Youngwood

Jan Barber Conservative 1,169 ELECTED

Victoria Hearne Independent 953

 

STANDING FOR NAILSEA TOWN COUNCIL

And there is only on contested election for Nailsea Town Council in the Yeo Ward.

There are six candidates none of whom are standing under their political colours and only five places:

 

Phil Barclay ELECTED 634 votes

Mary Blatchford ELECTED 1,144 votes

Liz Frappell ELECTED 875 votes

Peter Harris NOT ELECTED 590 votes

Jane Holt ELECTED 1,035 votes

Ann Tonkin ELECTED 956 votes

 

NAILSEA POLLING STATIONS:

• Golden Valley Ward:  The Meeting Room, St Francis Church, Ash Hayes Road, Nailsea

• West End Ward: Scout Headquarters, Hannah More Road, Nailsea

• Yeo Ward: Church House (Nailsea Baptist Centre), 79 Silver Street, Nailsea

• Youngwood Ward: Trinity House, Holy Trinity Church, 2 Church Lane, Nailsea

 

The general election results were due to  be announced at the Scotch Horn Centre at 5am on Friday, May 8, but they were nearly three hours late with the district, town and parish results coming later that day from Weston Town Hall.