My new MP for Leyton & Wanstead, John Cryer – mother and father were MPs. Maybe his kids will be too. The De Cryer Baronetcy in another era.
My new MP for Leyton & Wanstead, John Cryer – mother and father were MPs. Maybe his kids will be too. The De Cryer Baronetcy in another era.
So how will John Cryer be spending his first weekend as MP for Leyton and Wanstead? Going to estate agents, possibly.
Speaking after his victory yesterday, he said that he planned now to move to the constituency after his “temporary” break from living in east London – he has been living near East Grinsted in East Sussex. He told the Wanstead Guardian, though, that he had not decided when he would do so.
Suggestions for houses for sale in Wanstead suitable for a member of Parliament are welcome. Wansteadium is happy to collate suggestions and forward them to Mr Cryer. (NB. Woodcote Road suggestions will probably not go down too well.)
Speaking about the result, he said:
In terms of the national picture, I think if you told many Labour party members what [the] result was going to be I think we would be very pleased. We have come back from being deeply unpopular.â€
Meanwhile, second-placed Lib Dem candidate Farooq Qureshi, who was frequently criticised for having a low profile in Wanstead, conceded the point, saying:
“It was a very high turnout, because of that we failed to narrow the gap. I think it’s also because we haven’t done any work in Wanstead and Snaresbrook. Over the years we haven’t managed to get any presence in Snaresbrook.”
And Ed Northover, Conservative, who came third despite ambitious campaigning, said:
“Though I strongly disagree with John Cryer I think he is a very decent man.â€
Other reactions from around the web:
@si_ling Snaresbrook and Wanstead – all 6 tories – no surprises there
General election result in full:
[table id=3 /]
Labour have held Leyton and Wanstead; John Cryer is the new MP. There was a small swing to the Lib Dems from Labour – 2.6% – and the Conservatives were third. All other candidates, including BNP and Green, lost their deposits. Turnout was 63.2%, up 9.3% on 2005.
[table id=3 /]
From around the web
9.20am. John Cryer wins Leyton and Wanstead
7am: Turnout was 63.1%, but counting has taken much longer than expected, and Dominic Binns is reporting that no declaration is expected until 9am.
1.40am
BBC estimate of Leyton and Wanstead declaration is 3am. Wanstead Guardian’s Daniel Binns reports that not many candidates are at the count yet – though John Cryer and Edwin Northover are there – and that a result is not expected for “many more hours yet”.
FRIDAY 1.30am.
Redbridge election officials say there were no problems with polling stations and queues in Leyton and Wanstead, the Wanstead Guardian reports.
23.15
Yellow Advertiser reports rumours that one count in Wanstead which normally has a 30% turnout has reportedly had 75%.
10.30pm
@zzgavin voted in leyton & wanstead, ex-MP H Cohen. Voted #libdem for chance at reform plus might be a marginal 7k to Lab, but lots of libdem posters
blue_harvest Didn’t know wanstead even had a BNP candidate until i saw it on my ballot paper. Strangely enough, i didn’t vote for him. Come on the blues!
BACKGROUND
For information, the 2005 Leyton and Wanstead result, adjusted to reflect recent boundary changes, was:
Labour | 45.8% | |
Liberal Democrat | 24.7% | |
Conservative | 22.8% | |
Others | 6.7% |
More in Liberal Democrat Farooq Qureshi’s late surge of leaflets:
Atmospheric photo of the Leyton and Wanstead hustings held on Sunday, courtesy of ace snapper Clive Power.
A late flurry of leaflets from the Lib Dem candidate Farooq Qureshi.