Labour MPs survive bloodbath

Speaking out: Diane Abbott at the Hackney Citizen’s General Election 2015 hustings at the Arcola Theatre. Photograph: Eleonore de Bonneval

Labour MPs Diane Abbott and Meg Hillier have both been elected with increased majorities in a General Election on 7 May that saw the Conservatives installed in government.

The results in Hackney are in keeping with the pattern across London, where Labour boasted a net gain of
seven seats.

Abbott’s vote in Hackney North and Stoke Newington rose from 25,553 (54.6 per cent) to 31,357 (62.9 per cent), while Hillier’s vote in Hackney South and Shoreditch rose from 23,888 (55.2 per cent) to 30,663 (64.5 per cent).

The main shift in poll results was evident in the figures for the losing parties. The Green vote shot up from 4.5 to 14.6 per cent in the North and from 3.2 to 11.6 per cent in the South, whereas the Liberal Democrat suffrage dove from 23.7 to 5.0 per cent in the North and from 22.2 to 4.5 per cent in the South.

The Conservative vote remained stable at 14.7 per cent (up from 14.3 per cent) in the North and 13.5 per cent (up from 13.4 per cent) in the South, in keeping with the very modest UK-wide increase in Tory vote share of 0.8 per cent.

Despite its strong showing outside London, UKIP polled only 2.2 and 3.8 per cent in Hackney North and South respectively.

Turnout was 56.8 per cent in Hackney North and 56.3 per cent in Hackney South, well below the national average of 66.1 per cent.