Labour make good progress in Rochford and Southend East

The best result in Rochford and Southend East for Labour in twenty years, a testament to the hard work put in by Ashley Dalton and her team.

election	candidate	votes	%	place	Con majority
2017	Ashley Dalton	17465	37.0	2nd	5548
2015	Ian Gilbert	10765	24.7	2nd	9476
2010	Kevin Bonavia	8459	20.3	2nd	11050
2005	Fred Grindrod	12384	31.4	2nd	5490
2001	Chris Dandridge	13024	34.8	2nd	7034
1997	Nigel Smith	18458	39.7	2nd	4225

From what I have been told the strong Labour wards (by those who took a keen interest in last night's count) here are still strong, making us very hopeful of good results in the 2018 local elections.

Some gains are even a possibility, although I am mindful of tempting fate.

I expect a different shaped constituency by the time of the next election, although I do realise another snap election is always possible. With new boundaries we may see a seat that is even more challenging for Labour's Parliamentary aspirations.  However, the next set if elections that we know e face are the local elections next May, and there enough here to make us very confident of good results.

James Duddridge boasted that this was his highest number of votes so far; I would remind him that he needed it. Labour is a mere 409 votes behind Duddridge's 2005 result.