Iain Duncan Smith clings on to Chingford and Woodford seat
CONSERVATIVE veteran Ian Duncan Smith has held on to his seat despite a fervent Labour campaign against him.
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Conservative veteran Ian Duncan Smith has managed to cling on to his seat despite a fervent campaign from Labour to oust him. The former Tory leader had spent weeks campaigning against Labour's Faiza Shaheen who targeted a weak spot in his political career.
IDS managed to secure 23,481 votes in the election, beating Labour on 22,419 - a majority of 1,062.
Boris Johnson attempted to muster support in the seat, having personally visited on the final Sunday of the campaign.
Ms Shaheen attempted to expose IDS’ failures in his flagship Universal Credit scheme.
The scheme deeply affected his own constituency, with Ms Shaheen attempting to focus on this.
Although she lost, Ms Shaheen’s ability to overturn his 2,438 majority will be seen by many as a victory in itself.
IDS distributed a series of welfare reforms including Universal Credit, the bedroom tax, among other disability cuts.
The Conservative had held the Chingford seat since 1992.
Before that, it was a stronghold of Norman Tebbit, a notable member of Margaret Thatcher’s Government.
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He was then elected as MP for Chingford and Woodford Green in 1997 when the seat was created.
Just over half (50.12 percent) of constituents voted Remain in the EU referendum.
Mr Duncan Smith was a prominent pro-Brexit campaigner during the run up to the 2016 vote.
He was also an ardent critic of Theresa May’s Brexit strategy and an outspoken supporter of Boris Johnson.
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The Labour activist group Momentum had poured days of effort into the seat in a bid to oust IDS.
Actor Hugh Grant had canvassed alongside Ms Shaheen in the constituency.
The fierce opposition to Mr Duncan Smith was prevalent with his receiving a dead rat in the post, as well as his office being attacked.
Many people took to Twitter to blame Momentum for Labour's heavy defeat in the exit poll.
One user wrote: “Corbyn Out. Labour party need to bin momentum bin the marxists and bin the anti semites then and only then will they qualify to be HM opposition.
“Adios Comrade Corbyn and Reichmarshall Mcdonnell.
“Two complete loons.”
Another claimed Labour had been gutted by the group, and wrote: “For those of us who didn’t vote for Boris, it’ll be a long night - and a longer five years!
“The savaging of UK Labour by Momentum is confirmed; how and where the Centre-Left re-groups is the challenge.
“Corbyn will be gone in the morning; clearing up his carnage will take longer!”
Another said: “As tumbleweed rolls through the movement that has destroyed the once great Labour party, now bog off all of you Momentum.”