Liberal Democrat and former environment secretary, Ed Davey has lost his seat to his Conservative rival James Berry.
Kingston and Surbiton voted in Berry with 39% of votes cast compared to Davey’s 34% share of votes. Ed Davey’s defeat forms a significant part of a crushing night for the Liberal Democrats who saw former cabinet ministers Vince Cable and Danny Alexander all lose their seats.
Despite the majority of polls pointing towards a hung parliament, the Conservatives enjoyed remarkable polling results which look set to reinstate David Cameron as Prime Minister with a Conservative majority.
In related news, Caroline Lucas will remain the only Green MP after retaining her Brighton Pavillion seat with 42% of votes.
With the Conservatives set to form the UK’s next government, below is a reminder of the party’s key environmental pledges made in their manifesto:
The Conservatives
While the environment and commitment to renewable technologies has not been a central theme to David Cameron’s election strategy this year, the party’s manifesto and comments by MPs have looked to reassure the electorate that a Conservative-led government would look to build on its current renewables record.
But solar was omitted completely from the manifesto and the party is seeking to completely remove subsidies for onshore wind while also tightening planning controls. Financial support will be on offer, but only on promising renewable technologies that “clearly represent value for money”.
Should the Conservatives remain in power, one potential move could see Matt Hancock replace Ed Davey at the helm of the Department of Energy and Climate Change with Hancock understood to be well regarded within party ranks. Speaking exclusively to Solar Power Portal, Hancock reiterated that his party was “committed to solar” in the UK.