Jeremy Hunt Narrowly Retains Seat in Godalming and Ash by 800 Votes Over Liberal Democrat

Jul 5, 2024, 03:39 AM

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has narrowly retained his seat in the newly-created constituency of Godalming and Ash. Initially, exit polls suggested an 81% chance of defeat to his Liberal Democrat rival, making him the first sitting Chancellor to potentially lose his seat. However, Hunt managed to hold on by a slim margin of 800 votes, securing 23,293 votes against the Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Follows, who received 22,402 votes. The turnout in Godalming and Ash was 72.3%. This result comes as a significant relief for the Conservative Party amid a challenging night. The atmosphere at the count in Surrey was tense.