The Liberal Democrats defeated Zac Goldsmith by overturning a 23,000 majority last night, claiming that the win sent a clear message to government not to pursue a hard Brexit. Sarah Olney, 39, an accountant who joined the party last year, was elected to parliament with a majority of 1,872, a 30 per cent swing. She said that the vote was a clear indication that people had rejected “the Ukip vision for Britain – intolerant, backward-looking, divisive”. Ms Olney added: “The people of Richmond Park and north Kingston have sent a shockwave through this Conservative Brexit government and our message is clear: we do not want a hard Brexit, we do not want to be pulled out of the single market and we will not let…

Source: The Times December 02, 2016 03:03 UTC