ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

A list of the 23 Tory MPs who may not have won their seats if AV had operated at the last election

By Tim Montgomerie

This morning's Independent lists the 23 Tory MPs who may not have won their seats if AV had been operational at the General Election:

1. Guto Bebb (Aberconwy)
2. Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon)
3. Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire)
4. George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth)
5. Jonathan Evans (Cardiff North)
6. Richard Harrington (Watford)
7. Andrew Jones (Harrogate & Knaresborough)
8. Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West)
9. Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth)
10. Jason McCartney (Colne Valley)
11. Anne Main (St Albans)
12. Anne Marie Morris (Newton Abbot)
13. David Mowat (Warrington South)
14. Sarah Newton (Truro & Falmouth)
15. Matthew Offord (Hendon)
16. Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster & Fleetwood)
17. John Penrose (Weston-super-Mare)
18. Anna Soubry (Broxtowe)
19. Mark Spencer (Sherwood)
20. Julian Sturdy (York Outer)
21. Mike Weatherley (Hove)
22. James Wharton (Stockton South)
23. Rob Wilson (Reading East).

The list was compiled by researchers at Essex University.

Meanwhile The Sun reports that 137 candidates who came THIRD in last year's election might have become MPs. One candidate who came EIGHTH might even have won. George Eustice MP commented:

"This research tells us everything we need to know about why AV would be wrong. It's a losers' charter which allows the second, third or even eighth-placed candidate to come first in an election."

Academic study demonstrates how AV benefits the Lib Dems

By Jonathan Isaby

Five weeks before referendum day, tonight's Evening Standard has picked up on some academic research which seeks to demonstrate how the political map would have looked different if the last election had been fought under AV.

It finds that the following constituencies across London and the South East would have been won by different parties:  

Conservative seats which Labour would have won

• Brentford and Isleworth
• Hendon

Conservative seats which the Lib Dems would have won

• Oxford West and Abingdon
• Reading East
• St Albans
• Watford

Labour seats which the Lib Dems would have won

• Islington South and Finsbury
• Lewisham West
• Oxford East
• Streatham