Tonbridge MP Tom Tugendhat has won back his seat amid a disappointing night for his party
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00:00Thank you very, very much to everybody who's been working tirelessly this evening and to all those who have stood and made themselves candidates in this election.
00:10It's not always easy and there's many who have given up an awful lot of time and put in a huge amount of effort for this.
00:17Many have also done so for the council by-election for which I've been interviewed.
00:23My enormous thanks, of course, go to the people of Tunbridge. Thank you very much for placing your trust in me again.
00:30This has clearly been a very, very difficult night for the Conservative Party.
00:36But the country has made a decision and the beauty of our system is that though it's sometimes painful, it gives a clarity at moments like this.
00:49So I wish my very best to Keir Starmer, who will be our Prime Minister tomorrow when he meets the King.
00:58I wish him and the country the very best. I wish his government the very best.
01:03And I hope that they will do their best to serve us all.
01:08As the Conservative Party, we too have a duty.
01:13And our duty is to hold that government to account.
01:16To be the opposition that is needed in a democracy.
01:20To make sure that we are there to challenge and to clarify those decisions that they may take for which they have not explained or secured a mandate.
01:38There is a lesson, of course, over the last five years.
01:43One that Sir Keir has demonstrated.
01:47You can go for your worst result for your best in just five years.
01:53Thank you.