LABOUR unexpectedly held on to Wirral South as they kept the seat they have held since 1997 by a slim majority of 534 votes.
The despair was evident on the faces of Conservative campaigners as Labour’s 29-year-old local candidate Alison McGovern was declared the winner.
She replaces Ben Chapman who stepped down following the expenses scandal.
Miss McGovern won 16,276 votes to Jeff Clarke’s 15,745. Lib-Dem Jamie Saddler won a respectable 6,611 and UKIP’s David Scott 1,274.
Charity worker Miss McGovern, from Bromborough, said: “This is a stunning result. I don’t think anybody could have reasonably expected us to do so well here.
“I imagine the Conservatives thought they had it in the bag but we have fought a long and hard campaign.
“I am so pleased with the result and I promise to work hard for Wirral South. My biggest aim is to double the number of apprenticeships available.
