‘Pansexual’ candidate loses by-election
Former Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, who claimed he wanted to be the pansexual Mayor of London, has lost his seat in Parliament.
In a shock result, the Liberal Democrats took the seat of Richmond Park and North Kingston overturning a 23,015 majority Mr Goldsmith had gained as a Conservative.
He stood as an independent after standing down when the Government took the decision to back a third runway at Heathrow.
The Conservatives didn’t stand a candidate.
Prior to the Mayoral election in May, Mr Goldsmith, the then Tory candidate, told PinkNews that he wanted to be the pansexual Mayor of London. His comments came after he described the term as “someone who loves the world, surely?”
Mr Goldsmith took a total of 18,638 votes, coming second to Sarah Olney of the Lib Dems on 20,510.
Ms Olney fought the by-election on a Brexit platform as Mr Goldsmith had campaigned to leave in the constituency that backed remain by over 70 percent.
She is now the Lib Dems only female MP and will be their ninth member to join the chamber after only eight were elected in the General Election last year.
She said the by-election was a rejection of politics of anger and division.
“The people of Richmond Park and North Kingston have sent a shockwave through this Conservative Brexit government, and our message is clear – we do not want a hard Brexit,” she said.
“We do not want to be pulled out of the single market, and we will not let intolerance, division and fear win.”
After his defeat, Mr Goldsmith said the decision to stand down from the Conservative Party and stand as an independent was not a political calculation but a promise.
He added: “I wish Sarah well in her very, very important job and I hope she serves this community as well as this community deserves.”
See the results in full below
– Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrats) – 20,510
– Zac Goldsmith (Independent) – 18,638
– Christian Wolmar (Labour Party) – 1,515
– Howling Laud Hope (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party) – 184
– Fiona Natasha Syms, (Independent) – 173
– Dominic Francis Stockford, (Christian Peoples Alliance) – 164
– Maharaja Jammu and Kashmir (One Love Party) – 67
– David Powell – 32
Turnout = 53.6%
