Maidenhead Tories to 'rethink and rebuild' following election loss

The chairman of Maidenhead Conservative Association has said the party will have to ‘embark on a serious rethink and rebuild’ in the wake of its defeat in Maidenhead at the General Election.

Bill Perry (also a Cookham parish councillor) said election night was ‘a very sad night for the constituency.’

Tory candidate Dr Tania Mathias received 18,932 votes, but was beaten by Lib Dem Joshua Reynolds with 21,895 votes.

“Tania would have been an excellent replacement [for Theresa May], being very close to her in both her political and social approach,” said Mr Perry.

“Tania’s great competence and life experience are now not available to the electorate.”

He said he understood people’s ‘yearning for youth and change’ but lamented the loss of ‘life experience’ in a Maidenhead MP.

“Without any disrespect to Josh, the fact is that Tania had a better life experience background to making the sort of nationwide as well as local decisions that an MP needs to make,” he said.

“She would have been able to influence the powers that be more in favour of Maidenhead and what Maidenhead needs as a result.”

Asked what he thought about the new Maidenhead MP being a Lib Dem, he said: “I find it very hard to think that an MP in the third-largest party in Parliament, rather than the main opposition, will be able to bring as much weight on Maidenhead’s behalf, or have as much influence on the country’s foreign and fiscal policy.”

Reflecting on the Conservative loss and the reasons for it, he said: “The major factors involved seem to me to have been the large national swing against the party.

“Tania’s results were no worse than any other candidate immediately adjoining this constituency, and that is a tribute to the great campaign she fought and the way she was able to empathise with local people.”

Asked what he thought this result means for the party going forward, Cllr Perry said:

“It means we have to embark on a serious rethink and rebuild, which is already underway.

“I’m confident they are rethinking centrally in a big way, but we are also considering how we fought the campaign and our approach locally, so that is my immediate focus.”

He said the party is confident it will be able to recover ‘very substantially’ in time for the next expected local elections in 2027 and the next General Election in 2029.

“I think it is partly a question of voter trust and confidence – and it has to be won back by the party uniting around its new leader, and what he or she decides the party needs to do,” he said.

“It has to be won by demonstrating competence, empathy and understanding of what people want, and how they want the country to move forward.”

He said it was ‘vital’ that an MP, who must deal with national and international issues, can make decisions that members of the public can understand and agree with.

Cllr Perry said that although a Conservative MP ‘would be better’ he wished Joshua Reynolds well.

“I don’t have any doubt about Josh’s and the Liberal Democrats’ desire to do their best for the people of Maidenhead and this area,” he said.

“We’re very sad to have been beaten but in the interests of Maidenhead, we wish Josh well.”

Following the result, Dr Mathias tweeted to offer her congratulations to Mr Reynolds, and paid tribute to all the other candidates for ‘conducting their campaigns with respect and civility’.