As it happened: Wales gains help Tory victory

For any political geeks still awake - analyst Prof Roger Awan-Scully, of Cardiff University, has been looking at how close the results were in Wales compared to the last poll of the campaign, published on Monday.

"I think even the fiercest critics of polling would have to say that the match between our final barometer poll and the actual election outcome in Wales is astonishingly close," he says.

How Did the Welsh Political Barometer Perform in 2019?

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Welsh Conservative chairman Byron Davies said the message on the doorsteps was “emphatic” – to deliver Brexit and invest in public services.

He added that “a well organised campaign” had “confined Labour to being a party of The Valleys”.

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First Minster Mark Drakeford, asked by BBC Wales Today’s Nick Servini about Labour’s showing in north east Wales, with the loss of Wrexham, Vale of Clwyd, Clwyd South and Delyn, said the results did not change some fundamental issues.

“People in north east Wales need jobs and will need a Welsh Labour Government to defend those jobs and help them with it," he said.

"But we will be investing in things which provide housing for people, services for people – those things are important and we have to work harder to communicate those things to people.”

But he said although it had been a disappointing night for the party, he did not believe it had alienated voters and Welsh Labour had held a “whole swathe” of Valleys seats.

On the future, he said: “Brexit is going to happen, I don’t think there’s any denying that – we will have to work hard to make sure that they [Westminster Government] understand the implications of that for Wales.

"And where there are bad implications – which there will be – they take those into account and take the necessary actions to mitigate the adverse impacts that Brexit will bring to Wales.”

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Dan Jones, who was visiting Caerleon, said it is now up to the Tories to deliver.

“Personally, I believe it was a one issue election, and Boris Johnson’s beliefs and ideology aren’t mine,” he said.

“I voted Plaid in Monmouthshire”.

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Stephen Crabb admitted he had “clung on by my fingertips” as an MP over the past two years – but would consider taking on the Welsh Secretary role again, if asked.

The Preseli Pembrokeshire MP, re-elected with an increased majority, also said agreeing a trade deal with the EU will be “even harder” than the initial withdrawal agreement and failure to achieve one could lead to big tariffs on trade.

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The outgoing MP for Bridgend has criticised her successor.

Labour’s Madeleine Moon lost her seat to the Tory's Jamie Wallis by 1,157 votes.

Ms Moon, who had been first elected in 2005, said: “We're in a huge mess in Bridgend.

“Bridgend now has an MP with no political experience, other than three years on a parish council.

“This isn't a time for complacency over the complexity of the decisions that are going to be needed for the security and stability of this country."

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Pete Anningand and Rachel Woolbank from Gwaelod-y-Garth shared their views while enjoying a hot drink in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

“I feel relief that the country can move on," said Pete, who runs his own printing company.

“If this deal - the oven-ready deal - can get through, then we can start focusing on the things that matter - things like the NHS. The whole country has had a guts full of it.”

Rachel, an NHS worker, added: “I’m glad it’s all over and we as a nation can move on, and get on with doing what needs to be done.

"I’m fed up with the NHS being treated like a political football and I hope now that we can move forward and start focusing on the things that matter.”

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Back in 1983, the Conservatives’ previous high-watermark in Wales, you could drive from Monmouth to Holyhead without leaving Tory-territory.

Following another 14-seat haul, you can’t quite do that, but you could make it to Llandudno, or indeed most major towns in north Wales.

The Tory performance in Wales, contributing to Boris Johnson’s thumping victory, is in sharp contrast to the terrible start to their Welsh campaign.

Little more than a month ago the Ross England rape trial story was dominating the news, culminating in Alun Cairns’s resignation as Welsh Secretary.

Many felt the party’s handling of that story exposed a “woman problem” – with none in senior roles.

Yesterday, significantly and symbolically, the party elected its first, second and third female Welsh Tory MPs.

And among those three there’s a family link back to the Thatcher heyday too.

Fay Jones, new Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire is the daughter of ex-Cardiff North MP and former junior minister Gwilym Jones, first elected in 1983.

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Alan Parry is a retired business owner from Flintshire, visiting Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan.He said: “The country’s had its say. We want to get Brexit done.

"Now let’s see this country get the 'great' back in Great Britain.

"We’re not about Europe, we’re about the people. This is about us here in the UK, so let’s get on and make the most of it.”

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After a dramatic night it is time to say hello to some new faces and goodbye to some familiar ones in Welsh politics - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50776783

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Former Conservative Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb held onto his seat Preseli Pembrokeshire with 50.4% of the vote.

He puts his party's uplift in Wales down to first-time Tory voters.

Danielle is a civil servant from Barry.

She said: “I was hoping we’d get rid of [incumbent Tory MP for Vale of Glamorgan] Alun Cairns after the saga with Ross England.

"It's going to be a depressing next five years I think.

"I worry about the NHS. I worry about public services, the disabled, the unemployed, the mentally ill and anybody that’s vulnerable.

"It’s not a good time to be any of those, is it?”

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Jane Dodds's Westminster career came to an end after just four months when Fay Jones regained Brecon and Radnorshire for the Conservatives.

The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats has posted a statement about her "really rough night" on social media.

How the political make-up of Wales changed overnight.

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Labour hung onto the two Newport seats, albeit with reduced majorities.

Ruth Jones has been MP for Newport West since April, when she won the by-election which followed the death of Labour veteran Paul Flynn.

Jessica Morden has been MP for Newport East since 2005.

There was support for Boris Johnson from these two women at a cafe in Barry, the main town in the Conservative-held Vale of Glamorgan.

Janet Harris, a retired graphic designer from Monmouthshire (in the hat), says she is "very pleased with the result".

"I’m delighted. I believe in Boris," she said.

"I believe in Brexit and I believe he will get us out of the EU.”

Margaret Thomas, a retired civil servant from Barry (in the pink anorak), added: “I’m a Conservative so I’m pleased.

"I didn’t think he’d get such a big majority. That said, to be honest, whoever gets in they’re going to struggle.

"It seems like an impossible task - running this country.”

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Former party leaders in Wales have been chewing the fat with Betsan Powys for a series of BBC Radio Wales podcasts during the campaign - this morning they were live on the air with their reaction to the result.

Hear them now - Carwyn Jones, Andrew RT Davies, Leanne Wood, Lord German and Caroline Jones.

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Former Welsh Secretary Lord Hain, who was MP for Neath from 1991 to 2015, shares his thoughts on Labour's fortunes.

As the Tories take Wrexham, the defeated Labour candidate takes aim at at her party.

The seat had been held by Labour since 1931, with a majority of more than 2,000 in 2017.