POLITICS is a result-driven business but it’s also a relative one.

The Conservatives are the largest party in Parliament and remain in government but have lost their majority and many would consider this a terrible result, myself included.

Labour did much better than anyone expected and the reasons behind that, plus the relatively poor performance of the Conservatives, will exercise minds and fill column inches for some time.

But the triumphant tone of Labour really does show the relative low point it has lifted up from. Jeremy Corbyn was not catapulted to Downing Street. It was clear the country did not see him as a leader, just as much as the country rejected the Prime Minister’s campaign and the Conservative manifesto.

One thing is for certain, young people voted in more numbers and this is really good news for democracy.

Here in Eastbourne the picture is different with a Lib Dem now back at Westminster.

I was pleased I increased my vote substantially – showing there is big support in the constituency for Conservatives and myself, and I thank everyone who put their faith in me. The fact is the Conservative manifesto did not communicate what it was offering to voters well enough and, crucially, it did not offer positive policies that resonated with swing voters.

It also failed to appeal to enough natural Conservative support too. An inquest is needed to identify what went wrong and to fix it.

  • Caroline Ansell was the Eastbourne Tory MP from 2015 until the recent General Election