General Election 2017 – results night live

4.01am
Karin Smyth has retaken the Bristol South seat that she won for the first time only two years ago. She said: “My priorities on returning to Parliament are what they have been for the last two years: post-16 apprenticeships and training for young people, housing to rent and buy in south Bristol, and the health service. Those are the issues that really matter to Bristol South.

“We put out very clearly our six tests for brexit. I’ve been part of the Brexit team. I will focus on getting a fair deal for whatever the future is for people in Bristol South.”

And the first thing Smyth will do when she gets home? “Go to bed. It’s my son’s birthday tomorrow so I need to prepare for that.”

3.58am
Thangam Debbonaire was beaming with elation after securing a resounding win in Bristol West. She said: “Thank you for voting for me. People voted for hope and I will do my best to serve you whether you voted for me or not. I have been talking to teachers and parents throughout this campaign and the Tory cuts to education have to be fought.

“I was surprised by the exit poll, and delighted. I just think the whole of Bristol has voted for Labour and for hope but it does not amaze me when I think about the fantastic people.”

Thangam Debbonaire

3.40am
Kerry McCarthy celebrated a storming win in Bristol East. “It is just amazing. The number of votes I received has gone up by 12,000 since 2015 and that’s amazing. I misheard and I thought I had 15,000 votes.

“It felt like it was a positive campaign. I’m a bit overwhelmed by it. I’m really surprised by the national picture. Theresa May called the election because she expected a landslide and they threw the campaign away. I think there was a certain amount of arrogance. There was just a lot of people worried about the Tory cuts.”

3.31am
Newly elected Bristol North West MP Darren Jones said that “it’s great news for Bristol” that the city now has four Labour MPs as well as a Labour mayor.

He said: “We’ll be able to work as a really strong team and have more power in Westminster and City Hall, to all work towards a city we can be proud of.

“I arrived here (at the count) to people smiling at me but I didn’t want to believe anything until I heard the declaration. I won with what I believe is a 5,000 majority and that is totally unexpected and humbling. Many who might not have voted Labour before, voted for me. Now, I have to deliver for them.

“I paid tribute to Charlotte Leslie for her leadership in my speech after the declaration, and I want to continue some of her ideas because it’s the right thing to do, especially the Henbury loop line.

“I grew up literally five minutes away from where we are here, on Long Cross, Lawrence Weston. It’s a nice thing to be here in this position. I don’t want the ‘council estate to parliament’ story to be about me. It’s about all the young people in this area to see that it doesn’t matter where you come from, and to build a country for those kids to get those opportunities.”

Darren Jones

3.04am
Charlotte Leslie had been MP for Bristol North West from 2010. After the result was announced, she said: “Not much lasts forever in Bristol North West. I’m going to be getting my liberty in changing and turbulent times. I wish the country good luck.”

2.53am
RESULT: Labour’s Darren Jones wins Bristol North West

Darren Jones (Labour): 27,400
Charlotte Leslie (Conservative): 22,639
Celia Downie (Lib Dem): 2,814
Sharmila Bousa (Greens): 1,243

https://www.facebook.com/bristol247/videos/10154998437344807/

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2.52am
RESULT: Labour’s Thangam Debbonaire holds Bristol West.

Thangam Debbonaire (Labour): 47,213
Annabel Tall (Conservative): 9,877
Molly Scott Cato (Greens): 9,216
Stephen Williams (Lib Dem): 5,201
Jodian Rodgers (Money Free Party): 101

https://www.facebook.com/bristol247/videos/10154998446269807/

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2.44am
The Bristol North West result is expected soon.

2.36am
RESULT: Labour’s Kerry McCarthy holds Bristol East.

Kerry McCarthy (Labour): 30,847
Theo Clarke (Conservative): 17,453
Chris Lucas (Lib Dem): 1,389
Lorraine Francis (Greens): 1,110

https://www.facebook.com/bristol247/videos/10154998394244807/

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2.17am
RESULT: Labour’s Karin Smyth holds Bristol South.

Karin Smyth (Labour): 32,666
Mark Weston (Conservatives): 16,679
Ben Nutland (Lib Dems): 1,821
Ian Kealey (UKIP): 1,672
Tony Dyer (Greens): 1,428
John Langley (independent): 116

https://www.facebook.com/bristol247/videos/10154998375809807/

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2.16am
Labour’s Darren Jones and the Greens’ Sharmila Bousa are both at the Bristol North West count now, looking relaxed and happy to be in the room. Bousa stopped campaigning in order to give Jones a better chance of beating Tory incumbent Charlotte Leslie.

2.14am
While it looks like the Green Party’s hopes of securing a second MP are unlikely to be realised this General Election, Molly Scott Cato is still brimming with positivity for the phenomenal support she received throughout a hard fought campaign.

“The campaign has been brilliant, absolutely fantastic with Greens coming from all around the country to help,” she said. “General Elections are never easy for us as a small party, but we have had so many young people, and old, really engaged. A lot of people in Bristol West do want a Green MP in Bristol West and hopefully we can achieve that in the future.”

Molly Scott Cato

2.10am
Karin Smyth has held Bristol South for Labour since 2015. She told Bristol24/7: “The campaign was really energised and people were very clear that people wanted to talk about things that mattered to them. Schools cuts and social care were very important. Those were things that the Tories didn’t want to talk about and right away it was clear that this was an election that was different from the one the PM expected.

“Brexit was the underpinning. There was a lot of concern about the future. But the immediate problems that people are facing made people worried and they just didn’t think now was the time to have an election. The Brexit issue for people in Bristol South was settled. They thought the PM should be getting on with the negotiations. People who told me they had voted leave told me they were still voting Labour. Up until very recently it was very hard for me to tell what was happening to that UKIP vote.

“Jeremy has energised the campaign and people have been surprised at how well he has come across in contrast to the PM. The manifesto energised people and Jeremy used his personality in stark contrast to the PM. I think the PM wanted to talk about herself and the arrogance to spend taxpayers’ money to give the Tories a bigger majority has been totally rebuked by the people of this country. It’s a fantastic demonstration of democracy.”

2.01am
Thangam Debbonaire is chilling in the cafe with a brew at the Bristol West count, surrounded by supporters and with a quietly excited smile on her face.

1.35am
Bristol West stats: 71,789 votes cast, 77.19% turnout
Bristol East stats: 50,946 votes cast, 70.35% turnout

1.34am
Bristol North West stats: 54,225 votes cast, 71.9% turnout

1.31am
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees is talking to the media at the Bristol North West count, which could see Labour candidate Darren Jones toppling Tory incumbent Charlotte Leslie.

“It’s very exciting being here and waiting to hear the final results,” said Rees. “It seems like it’s going to be an exciting result in Bristol. Of course, I want Labour MPs in Bristol, and I also want a change to the political map, allowing us to fight for Bristol in Westminster.

“What I really want is a political resource in Westminster to back us up – we’re running on fumes and need resources released into Bristol for things like adult social care and transport solutions. I hope that by tomorrow morning, I’ll be looking out on the political map I’ll have reason to hope.

“Darren Jones is a great candidate. He was chair on my campaign and we both share a background. We were both Lawrence Weston kids. He’s very dynamic and it would be great to have a local lad representing the area he grew up in. He’s a fantastic example to young people in the area.

“But, I have to say that, as a human being, I feel for losing candidates. I’ve been there myself. It’s a brutal experience, losing in front of people. I know Charlotte Leslie is a decent person and has helped lots of people, but I also think that Darren will do a great job, if he is successful tonight.”

Marvin Rees

1.26am
Karin Smyth watches the count at Bristol South, a seat that she has held for Labour since 2015.

Karin Smyth

1.25am
Lib Dem candidate Chris Lucas has arrived at the Bristol East count and seems disappointed but pragmatic. “I feel a little little bit disappointed,” he said. “The results do not appear to be going our way across the city. There has been a lot of hard work done by candidates and activists and I’m not sure it’s being reflected but that’s democracy for you. I think there is perhaps a little bit of Brexit fatigue. Our message was the right one to hold the Government to account.”

Is there hope for the Lib Dems in the next election? “Who knows what the next election will bring. Politics is such an unpredictable game these days. All the established norms have gone out of the window.”

Chris Lucas

1.17am
Bristol South stats: 54,415 votes cast, 65.55% turnout

1.11am
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees is at the Bristol North West count, possibly a sign that he is confident of a victory for his mate Darren Jones against Tory incumbent Charlotte Leslie. “It’s looking strong for Labour,” he says.

1.10am
There’s a lot of cross party chatting and joking among supporters at the Bristol West and Bristol East counts at the City Academy. There are also murmurings of a possible clean sweep for Labour across all four of the city’s constituencies.

12.53am
It’s break time at the Bristol South count in the Action Indoor Sports Centre in Whitchurch. Everyone turns around for nibbles and fizzy drinks.

12.51am
Bristol’s longest serving MP Kerry McCarthy has arrived at the Bristol East count, looking composed and perhaps a little relieved by how things are looking.

She told Bristol24/7: “It was the most uncertain election I have ever fought or been involved in and we really did not know from one moment to the next what was happening. It did not go as Theresa May expected, Brexit did not come up very much at all. I was talking to one Tory earlier who said the issues that people kept talking to them about were fox hunting and the dementia tax.

“The number of people who came out and volunteered and put up posters and the responses we got was really heart warming no matter what the election result is. We had a really positive day yesterday.”

Kerry McCarthy

12.47am
Bristol South Labour candidate Karin Smith’s agent Robert Massey says that this campaign “has been really energised”. He told Bristol24/7: “Lots of people have seen this as a really defining election. There’s been a huge interest from people in seeing Labour retain this seat. It’s not unfair to say that three weeks ago we were a lot more worried about it but we’re fairly confident we’ve retained the seat.”

12.46am
Former Bristol West MP Stephen Williams is not putting much of a positive spin on things. He said: “It would be a tall order winning the seat back after quite a bad result in 2015. I did think that the Lib Dems promising a second EU referendum would resonate with people in this constituency. But Brexit has not featured very prominently. It looks like the Lib Dems gambled on hoovering up a lot of remain votes. I think in a year’s time the electorate will feel very differently about leaving the EU but so far a lot of people have accepted last year’s referendum result and do not know what’s ahead, but I think the penny will drop. I certainly wish the election had not been called when it was and I suspect the Prime Minister feels that as well.”

Stephen Williams and his squad

12.33am
North Somerset Tory candidate and longstanding MP Liam Fox tells the BBC from Bristol that this year’s General Election shows a return for two-party politics as the minority parties “crumble away”.

12.31am
There are big queues for the cafe during a break in proceedings at the Bristol East count:

12.28am
Stephen Williams and his squad have arrived at the Bristol West count. This was a seat that he held for a decade until 2015, but he looks set to lose an election for the second time in two months after coming third in the metro mayor election in May.

12.10am
Green councillor Carla Denyer has only just arrived at the Bristol West count so admits she has not had much chance to digest what’s going on. But she says that she is shocked by how well the Tories seem to have done. Although verification is still going on so it’s still very early days.

Clifton Down candidate Carla Denyer

12.07am
Bristol South Green Party candidate Tony Dyer gazes into his crystal ball: “There doesn’t seem to be a clear or easy way for any party to form a majority. It looks like Lib Dem and Green votes are going down. Whether that’s the same in seats where it’s more competitive remains to be seen.

“This looks like there is a rejection of Theresa May’s hard Brexit. Some people who previously voted for Lib Dems or Greens in Bristol South may have switched to Labour. One person in Bristol South told me they liked Jeremy. One person told me they thought the Labour candidate here would get rid of Jeremy. That’s all anecdotal.

“A good night for us would be securing Caroline’s seat (in Brighton Pavillion) so that it becomes unassailable. Another good result for us would be more opportunity for a progressive alliance.”

11.50pm
Big news if true. Bristol North West has reliably elected the candidate of the winning party in every General Election since 1974. Read our profiles of the candidates here.

11.38pm
A buoyant Annabel Tall, Conservative candidate for Bristol West, is grabbing a cold drink in the cafe with a small group of supporters and confirmed she was the first candidate in the building at City Academy. She said: “Quite clearly Labour will walk away with it but that was expected and I’m very pleased with what I have seen so far. We did better in Lawrence Hill than I expected.”

Annabel Tall

11.34pm
Bishopston & Ashley Down ward has finished verifying which means that counting is now underway in Bristol North West.

The scene in Henbury Leisure Centre at the Bristol North West count

11.32pm
Estella Tincknell, Labour councillor in Lockleaze, talks to Bristol24/7:

“We’ve had a great time, quite a telescoped campaign running a General Election in such a short time. There’s been such a positive reception on the doorstep and people shouting ‘yes!’ and ‘good on you!’ It’s good fun. The weather has just about held off until the past week or so and I’m feeling quite pleased.

“The election was a surprise to everyone but with hindsight, I suppose Theresa May thought it would be a walkover. We’ll see what the results are. We’ve just got over the metro mayor election so since Christmas we’ve been in election mode.

“I think there is a bit of voter fatigue – Brenda from Bristol spoke for all of us. It’s been great to be out knocking on doors every night in my ward. Out pounding the streets, you notice problems that you’ll later report. It’s been a nice chance to talk to people.

“I’m in for the long haul tonight. You’ve got to have stamina to be in politics. I’m hoping it won’t go on as long as it has in previous counts. I wish we could be like more like Sunderland! It always seems to be announced here when dawn is breaking. If it breaks on a Labour victory, I’ll be happy. I remember 1997 and the dawn breaking on that election morning. It really felt like a new world. Let’s say I’ve got similar hopes tonight.”

11.28pm
“I think it’s going to be Labour’s night, certainly in Bristol West,” says a rather despondent Lib Dem supporter sitting alone in the foyer at the City Academy. “The Greens are not looking too happy but then we have no reason to be happy either. The national exit polls are looking slightly better than we expected but we knew it would be a pretty difficult night for us in Bristol.”

11.20pm
Votes are being verified in Bristol South to ensure forms match votes. This happens before any actual votes are counted.

11.12pm
The verification process has started for both Bristol East and Bristol West. Counting is yet to begin.

The counting room at City Academy

11.02pm
Labour win the first seat of the night in Newcastle Central, with a two per cent swing against the Conservatives.

10.58pm
A slow trickle of ballot boxes is arriving for the Bristol West count, while the boxes for Bristol East are taken in through a second door further down.

The Bristol West and Bristol East votes are both being counted at City Academy in Lawrence Hill

10.57pm
Labour agents look very buoyant at the Bristol South count. Karin Smyth hasn’t arrived yet.

10.46pm
Twitter is definitely the best place to be for the best General Election chat right now. Here’s Tim Popple feeling refreshed after his visit earlier tonight to the opening preview of Bomboloni on Gloucester Road:

10.44pm
Bristol South Tory candidate Mark Weston has arrived at the count in Whitchurch but won’t answer any questions on the exit polls, perhaps shaken by news that a hung parliament is on the cards.

10.40pm
Bristol North West Lib Dem hopeful Celia Downie is on the count floor watching the goings on.

10.21pm
This is who will be doing the counting in Bristol North West. “Speed is of the essence,” says the count manager.

The Bristol North West is taking place at Henbury Leisure Centre

10.19pm
The first boxes have arrived at the Action Indoor Sports Centre in Whitchurch, where the count for Bristol South is taking place.

The first boxes arrive at the Bristol South count

10.08pm
Who remembers Brenda’s reaction from the day Theresa May called this snap General Election?

10.01pm
There are smiles from Labour supporters at the Bristol East and Bristol West counts at City Academy after that exit poll:

Radiant red rosettes

10pm
The BBC/ITV/Sky exit poll shows that the Greens have won only one UK seat. This means that it is unlikely that the party will take Bristol West from Labour. The poll shows that the Tories will be 12 seats short of an overall majority in the House of Commons on 314 losing 17 seats from 2015, with Labour winning 266 (up 34 from 2015) and the Lib Dems 14 (up six). Will any of these seats be won or lost in Bristol’s four constituencies? Follow Bristol24/7’s live coverage throughout the night to find out.

Live reporting by Ellie Pipe, James Higgins and Jess Connett