Wellingborough by-election LIVE - hour-by-hour coverage from the count as voters choose their next MP
and live on Freeview channel 276
Voters in Wellingborough have gone to the polls to choose their next MP.
A by-election is being held after constituents booted out former Conservative Peter Bone, who had held the seat for 18 years, in a recall petition.
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Hide AdHe had been suspended from Parliament after being found to have bullied a former member of staff and exposed his genitals close to his face.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest as the count takes place at Kettering Leisure Village.
Wellingborough by-election LIVE
Key Events
- Voters are going to the polls to choose Wellingborough's next representative in Parliament
- The by-election was forced after disgraced MP Peter Bone was booted out by constituents in a recall petition
- He was suspended after being found to have bullied a former member of staff and exposed his genitals close to his face
Candidates are being called over
NNC chief executive Adele Wylie has called the candidates over for adjudication
We're nearing a result...
We're hearing the result could be declared a bit earlier than first expected, perhaps in about 15 minutes. There's plenty of red boxes for Labour filled with ballot papers and only a few votes left to count, with most staff sitting in front of empty tables.
We've also been told that Peter Bone definitely is not coming to the count tonight.
Helen Harrison says she's 'feeling good'
Conservative candidate Helen Harrison has also just arrived and is all smiles. She tells us: "Feeling good. Very good, thank you."
There's no sign of her partner Peter Bone, whose suspension led to this by-election.
Gen Kitchen has just arrived
The Labour hopeful is on the count floor surrounded by fellow party campaigners and they all look absolutely delighted. We're told she's not able to talk to us yet.
'A turning point in local politics in Northamptonshire'
We've just spoken to Cllr Martin Griffiths, the former Conservative leader of the Borough Council of Wellingborough, who now sits as an Independent and backed Labour's Gen Kitchen.
He said: "I think this is a turning point in local politics in Northamptonshire. I think the Tory stranglehold is being decimated."