Leicester and Leicestershire General Election 2024 news and live results

VaselineJuly 4, 2024

0 5 minutes read

Leicester and Leicestershire General Election 2024 news and live results

Britain has voted, the polls have closed and the first national result of the evening is in. But Leicestershire candidates still have a mind-boggling wait, with the first results here not expected until around 3am.

Words like “historic” and “landmark” are being thrown around by those in politics to describe this year’s general election. Labor is on course for a super-majority, while the Conservative Party, according to some estimates, could get fewer than 100 seats. At the local level, we are also ready for change.

Polls in the run-up to election night have suggested that a number of our 2019 MPs could lose their seats tonight. We also have a new constituency – Mid Leicestershire – which will get its first parliamentary representative.

READ MORE: Leicester and Leicestershire general election candidates tell you why they think they deserve your vote

In the city, a long-standing Labor stronghold, we are guaranteed either a new MP for Leicester East or the first non-Labour victory in the constituency for more than 35 years. Some, including former seat holder Keith Vaz, who is looking to return to the political front line, will be hoping for the two together.

Nail biting stuff! And our reporters are live at the city and county counts to bring you all the news, election night drama and — most importantly — to tell you who’s in and who’s out in each seat.

We will have a journalist on site speaking to the candidates and will bring you the results as soon as they are announced from the three Leicester seats; Harborough, Oadby and Wigston; Loughborough; Mid Leicestershire and North West Leicestershire. We’ll also keep you posted on news coming out of Hinckley and Bosworth; South Leicestershire; and Melton and Syston. Stay with us, we’ll be here all night!

00:43Lee Garrett

Mid Leicestershire Tory is hopeful

Julia Breens talks to the candidates for the seat of Mid Leicestershire – this is the new seat for the county this election. First up is Conservative candidate Peter Bedford.

He told Julia that he “had a lot of positive responses on the doorstep.” But while he admits it is “very difficult because of the national image”, he says he feels confident but admits it will be a close result here.

Peter Bedford, Conservative candidate for Mid Leicestershire(Image: Julia Breens/Leicestershire Live)

00:34Lee Garrett

“Reforms are here to stay”

Back in North West Leicestershire, Lee Garrett spoke to UK Reform candidate Noel Matthews. He believes tonight’s election is just the beginning for the party – nationally and locally.

He said: “I feel very positive. The support we’ve had has been great and we’re here and ready to talk about the big issues like immigration. This is not just a one night thing.

“I moved here two years ago and I am determined to make myself and the party a credible force. This is only the beginning of the reform, we will make ourselves known in the next five years. The reform is here to stay as I am.”

Noel Matthews, UK Reform candidate for North West Leicestershire(Image: Lee Garrett/Leicestershire Live)

00:23Lee Garrett

#goneswimming

In one of the most interesting developments tonight (well, so far), Tess Rushin is having fun finding the Labor candidate for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston doing a bit of swimming. How cute.

00:15Lee Garrett

Many, many boxes in Leicester

To Hannah Richardson in Leicester now, where there are a considerable number of boxes to be analyzed for tonight’s constituency count.

That’s just slightly more than the 22 boxes required for the flagship show Deal or No Deal. Only only.

00:09Lee Garrett

Green candidate ‘hopes to get his deposit back’

In North West Leicestershire, reporter Lee Garrett spoke to Green Party MP Carl Benfield. He believes and hopes he can hold the area’s next MP to account – if that is Labour’s Amanda Hack.

He said, “Well, I hope to get my deposit back and increase our vote share. I expect Amanda to win and I will be here to hold her accountable. That’s what the Greens are here for, to make sure Labor keeps its promises.”

Carl Benfield, Green Party candidate for North West Leicestershire(Image: Lee Garrett/Leicestershire Live)

11:51 p.mLee Garrett

Loughborough Lib Dems are feeling upbeat about the national picture

Reporter Julia Breens spoke to the Lib Dems in Loughrough this evening, who look very happy with the national picture.

As it stands, according to the exit poll, the Lib Dems will win 61 seats. We wait to see if this is the case.

11:33 p.mLee Garrett

First result of the night

Well, it’s not in Leicestershire just to spoil the excitement for some – but there’s already a result tonight. Labor and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson won the Houghton and Sunderland South constituency.

He is the first parliamentarian on the board of directors of the new parliament. Leicestershire’s many counts are still ongoing and we’ll bring you the results as soon as we get them.

11:30 p.mLee Garrett

What time is it? the coffee!

We may be early on election night here, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be sleeping. It’s way too exciting!

But for those who need it, there’s every journalist’s best friend – caffeine. That’s the case with reporter Tess Rushin, who samples coffee at her count.

23:24Lee Garrett

The count continues

Here in Coalville, ballot casting and vote tallying is still underway. It may be a while before we hear a result.

We aim to bring you more of this number as it happens.

The countdown continues here in Coalville(Image: Lee Garrett/Leicestershire Live)

11:15 p.mLee Garrett

Some interesting numbers here

While the count is underway, reporter Julia Breens has some interesting statistics for us from Loughborough and Mid-Leicestershire. Stats fans rejoice!

11:10 p.mHannah Richardson

Our (probably) future Prime Minister also paid us a visit

We also had the chance to grill Sir Keir on the NHS as he visited a GP practice in Coalville last week.

Labor leader Keir Starmer and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting visited Long Lane Surgery in Coalville today(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

11:01 p.mHannah Richardson

Tough politicians from Leicestershire

During the six-week campaign, Leicestershire was cheered on by both Premier Rishi Sunak (twice) and Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer. Find out what Rishi had to say here.

22:54Lee Garrett

Leicester (many) matters

And rounding out our list of reporters around is Hannah Richardson. She is stationed in Leicester, where she will receive the results for several votes this evening.

This includes the highly anticipated result in Leicester East, where both Keith Vaz and Claudia Webbe – both former Labor MPs – are fighting to be elected.

10:46 p.mLee Garrett

Counting in Loughborough

Julia Breens is our Loughborough count correspondent this election night. She will bring you all the happenings from there. Here’s the latest from the scene.

10:32 p.mLee Garrett

Counting underway for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston

We are also posted elsewhere in the county this election night as well. Tess Rushin is on the count for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston. Those ballots are already verified.

22:22Lee Garrett

Lives in North West Leicestershire

As the votes begin to be counted, we have reporters dispatched to various counts tonight and into tomorrow morning. In Coalville is Lee Garrett reporting from North West Leicestershire.

The ballot boxes have arrived and the hard task of counting is now underway.

Rather, it says everything(Image: Lee Garrett/LeicestershireLive)

Counting is underway at Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre(Image: Lee Garrett/LeicestershireLive)

10:08 p.mLee Garrett

The complete exit poll ranking

We’re just moments into tonight’s countdown and here’s a rundown of how things could look at the end of everything in the UK. The numbers below are their predicted places.

Work – 410

Conservatives – 131

Liberal Democrat – 61

Reform Great Britain – 13

SNP – 10

Plaid Cymru – 4

Green – 2

10:06 p.mKey event

Labor force landslide predicted

The exit poll is out and it’s very good reading for Sir Keir Starmer.

Labor will end the night with 410 seats, while the Tories will have just 131 at the end of the night.