How Have Military Areas Voted In The General Election?

The latest General Election has seen the biggest turnout in 25 years, with nearly 68.7% of Britons taking to the polls.

It is believed the last time this many people cast their votes was in 1992, when Conservative leader John Major made it four general election wins in a row for the Tories.

Overall, 42.4% of the country voted Conservative, 40% Labour, 7.4% Liberal Democrats, 3% Scottish National Party, 1.8% UKIP and 1.6% Greens.

But how does this average national vote compare to military areas?

Catterick Garrison

Constituency: Richmond (Yorks)

Turnout: 70.5%

Win: Rishi Sunak (Conservative hold) with 63.9%

What changed since 2015? Conservatives +12.6%, Labour +10.2%, Green Party -1.2%

Rishi Sunak has been the MP for Richmond (Yorks) since May 2015. During his time in government, he has backed several veterans support services, such as a new app, higher accommodation standards and new mental health initiatives. While campaigning before being elected in 2015, he said:

"Everywhere I go in the constituency, I feel the enormous pride people have in our locally based soldiers and that they are special part of the community."

Aldershot Garrison

Constituency: Aldershot

Turnout: 64.2%

Win: Leo Docherty (Conservative hold) with 55.1%

What changed since 2015? Labour +13.3%, UKIP -14.2%

Leo Docherty is a veteran of the British Army and former member of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served for six years, including active service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has previously said that it was his time in the Army that made him "realise the importance of politics and of getting involved". He stands for strong national defence and thinks the duty of politicians is to safeguard sovereignty.

HMNB Devonport

Constituency: Plymouth Sutton & Devonport

Turnout: 58.3%, the lowest of all military areas

Win: Luke Pollard (Labour gain from Conservative) with 53.4%

What changed since 2015? Labour +16.7%, UKIP -11.5%

Luke Pollard has said to the Plymouth Herald that he "will always support our Royal Navy and Royal Marines, back Trident, fight defence cuts and support our veterans." Pollard's dad worked in Royal Navy and he made defending dockyard jobs a key plank of his election campaign in 2016. He has previously said that "the debate about Trident often takes the headlines but the Tory cuts to the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force is as big a concern".

RAF Marham

Constituency: Norfolk South West

Turnout: 67.3%

Win: Elizabeth Truss (Conservative hold) with 62.8%

What changed since 2015? Conservative +11.8%, Labour +10.6%, UKIP -18.3%

Elizabeth Truss led the ‘Make it Marham’ campaign to ensure RAF station remained the home of the Tornado aircraft and for the Joint Strike Fighter (Lightning II) when it comes in to service in 2018. She also defines herself as a "vocal supporter of the career opportunities available at RAF Marham" and she is pressing for more apprenticeship programmes to be developed.

RAF Brize Norton

Constituency: Witney

Turnout: 55.5%

Win: Robert Courts (Conservative win) with 55.5%

What changed since 2015? Liberal Democrats +13.7%, UKIP -7.5%

Robert Courts was first elected as MP in the by-election in October 2016. He recently said:

"Defence was an area that I really wanted to focus on, given its central role in West Oxfordshire in industrial and military terms."

RAF Coningsby

Constituency: Louth & Horncastle

Turnout: 66.80%

Win: Victoria Atkins (Conservative hold) with 63.9%

What changed since 2015? Conservative +12.8%, UKIP -16.8%

Before being elected for the first time in May 2015, Victoria Atkins said about Louth & Horncastle: 

“The first priority of Government is the security of the realm, and this constituency has an important role – past, present and future – in providing that defence."

"It is essential that the likes of Putin and others realise that we have the proper capability to resist his illegal adventures and that we are able and willing to use it.”

RAF Lossiemouth

Constituency: Moray

Turnout: 67.40%

Win: Douglas Ross (Conservative gain from SNP) with 47.6%

What changed since 2015? Conservative +16%, SNP -10.7%

Douglas Ross ousted the SNP's leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson, to take this seat for the Conservative Party last night with a 16% swing. As an MSP Mr Ross is a member of the Cross-Party group on Armed Forces and Veterans Community.

HMNB Faslane

Constituency: Argyll and Bute

Turnout: 71.50%

Win: Brendan O'Hara (SNP hold) with 36%

What changed since 2015? Conservative +18.3%, Liberal Democrats -8.3%, SNP -8.3%

Argyll and Bute has been represented by the SNP’s Brendan O’Hara since 2015. He and his party strongly oppose the nuclear weapons that are based at Faslane, and as the party’s defence spokesman, he campaigned against Trident renewal. 

“Since nuclear weapons arrived on the Holy Loch in 1961, Scotland has protested against them.”     

RNAS Yeovilton

Constituency: Yeovil

Turnout: 71.60%

Win: Marcus Fysh (Conservative hold) with 54.5%

What changed since 2015? Conservative +12, Labour +5.4%, Liberal Democrats -3.4%

Marcus Fysh has been the MP for Yeovil since 2015. During his time representing the constituents there, he has fought to keep Yeovil and Yeovilton at the heart of the aerospace industry. He campaigned to keep the production of the Wildcat Helicopter, used extensively by crews at RNAS Yeovilton, within the region. 

“Soldiers and sailors in our armed forces know very well how important helicopters are to their safety on and around the battlefield.”

Photo of RAF Coningsby courtesy of Mark Holland.