A CONSERVATIVE MP defeated in the General Election was seen crying on television as she said she had been “swimming against the tide”.

Sheryll Murray, who lost to Labour’s Anna Gelderd in South East Cornwall, became tearful as she spoke to the BBC.

Mrs Murray said: “When you’re swimming against the tide and the tide is that strong then you’re never going to overcome it, so thank you South East Cornwall because I’ve had a ball.”

All five of Cornwall’s sitting Tory MPs lost their seats. In the sixth seat, Connor Donnithorne, who stood for the Conservatives after the retirement of Camborne and Redruth MP George Eustice, was beaten by Labour’s Perran Moon.

Conservative Scott Mann, whose seat was taken by Lib-Dem Ben Maguire, took to Facebook to say: “Thank you to everyone who voted for me yesterday. It has been an honour to represent North Cornwall for the last nine years. I would like to extend my best wishes to our new MP, Ben Maguire.”

Cherilyn Mackrory, who lost the Truro and Falmouth seat to Labour’s Jayne Kirkham, also took to social media, saying: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for me yesterday and to those who have supported me throughout. It has been a huge honour to have served as the MP for Truro and Falmouth; to have represented our part of Cornwall to the very best of my ability in Westminster. I wish Jayne all the best.”

Derek Thomas suffered a resounding loss to returning Lib-Dem MP Andrew George in the St Ives constituency. He said: “Yesterday the majority of people of West Cornwall and Scilly decided that I’m no longer the man to represent them in Westminster. I respect this outcome and wish Andrew George every success as he serves on behalf of this amazing corner of Great Britain. I’ve always felt honoured to serve as the MP – it has been an extraordinary journey.”

There has been reaction to the election result outside of politics. John Brown, the new chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said: “Cornwall has spoken. Politically, Cornwall may have changed colour but, crucially, the issues remain the same.

“The needs of business and the needs of society can’t be separated. The private sector needs talent, investment and infrastructure. That means people need homes, a healthcare system that works, an education system that provides opportunity and a local infrastructure that supports a thriving economy, not creaks and cracks underneath it.

“The Cornwall Chamber of Commerce will be working hard to ensure that our new MPs pay attention and get to work straight away to deliver what’s needed so that levelling up the Duchy goes beyond rhetoric and into reality.”