Joshua Reynolds has been elected as the first Liberal Democrat MP in Maidenhead after over 100 years as a Conservative lead constituency.

Mt Reynolds won with 21,895 votes while his closest rival Ms Tania Mathias took 18,932. Speaking to the Observer after the results, the new Lib Dem MP said that he was ‘honoured’ to be elected as Maidenhead’s champion in Parliament.

He said: “People from right across Maidenhead are fed up of being taken for granted. They know that St Marks isn’t what it used to be, they know that our rivers and waterways are polluted and they’re fed up with our public services not working properly.

“People know that they deserve better. So, no matter how you voted in this election, I will fight for you all year round, tackling the cost of living crisis, ending the appalling sewage scandal and most of all fixing our NHS and care services.”

Mirroring the nationwide result, the fall of the Conservative party is one that according to Conservative activists was ‘expected’ in this year’s Maidenhead election.

Despite this, Tania Mathias still managed to win 18,932 votes ahead of the Labour parties candidate, Jo Smith who won 5,766 votes.

Alongside its neighbouring Windsor constituency, Maidenhead’s turnout was the lowest it has been in decades, with 67 per cent of people coming out to vote across Maidenhead’s towns and villages.

Mr Reynolds said that he will champion issues that have been plaguing the constituency over the past years including, the sewage scandal currently plaguing the area to the decline in public services.
The vote was the closest across the Royal Borough, and delighted voters and campaigners who cheered for the party at the final declaration.

Following the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Labour, other candidates who were running this year including Tim Burt (Social democratic party) who won 518 votes, Qazi Yasir Irshad with 431 votes and Independent candidate George Wright, who won 791 votes during the elections.

Reynolds told the Observer: The hard work really does start now. I’ve got to work on these priorities that I set myself, getting the walk-in centre at St Marks open, talking to the NHS about how we can do that.

“The sewage scandal and the cost of living crisis which are so key in the hearts of the people of Maidenhead. The issues that the people in Maidenhead need fixed, we’ve got to start work on them right away.

“I think it’s fantastic that we’re moving away from the Conservative party. Maidenhead have had a conservative MP for 150 years so to be able to end that is a fantastic honour and I’m really glad for the people of Maidenhead for electing me.”