Conservative candidate for Twickenham Dr Tania Mathias has continued to distance herself from traditional Tory ideals as she congratulated Sir Vince Cable on his majority victory.
She had previously refused to provide a figure for net migration after Theresa May had firmly assured voters it would be under 100,000 a year.
Dr Mathias had put a two-year dent in Sir Vince’s 18-year record as MP for Twickenham in 2015 when she defeated him by just 2,017 votes, making her the area’s first female MP.
This time round, Sir Vince turned the tables with an outstanding majority, but following her loss, the 52-year-old only had positive things to say in her speech, before storming out and refusing to speak to anyone else.
“Sir Vince has set the standard of how to work as a local constituency with great work,” she said.
Dr Mathias was extremely dignified in defeat, perhaps because of the issues that unite all parties in the constituency, such as the controversial approval of a third runway at Heathrow.
Though social care is a national issue that has been particularly contentious for the Conservatives, Dr Mathias appeared to separate herself from the party manifesto by focusing on the local area instead.
She said: “I do wish you the very best in opposing Heathrow expansion and of course in getting more support for the NHS for schools and for social care and I wish you the very, very best.”
One thing that was overwhelmingly obvious from the ophthalmologist’s words was the joy she derived from serving her constituents.
“I would like to thank especially the voters of Twickenham,” she added.
“A couple of years ago you gave me the greatest joy being your representative and now you have made your choice in somebody else.
“But I will always be grateful for the thousands of conversations and meetings and interactions with the people of Twickenham that has made the job that I did the best job probably in the world.”
Dr Mathias may have displayed a brave face on stage, but outside the counting hall it was clear the loss had been a blow.
Embracing the campaigners who had worked so tirelessly to return her to parliament, Dr Mathias declined to comment after the result was announced.
She said: “I’m just with my friends now.”
