Lichfield’s outgoing MP says his defeat was disappointing but not unexpected.
Sir Michael Fabricant had held the seat for the Conservatives since it was created in 1997.
But a Labour MP will now represent the constituency after Dave Robertson overcame a 23,000-vote majority.
The result means Sir Michael’s 32-year Parliamentary career is over, having held the Mid-Staffordshire seat in 1992 before the creation of the Lichfield constituency five years later.
Despite his lengthy run in Westminster, the outgoing Conservative MP said the defeat had not come as a shock.
“I’m obviously disappointed, but I suspected it might happen.
“Firstly, there was a huge national swing which worked against Conservative candidates.
“Locally, I had a problem with a lot of my literature not getting distributed – about 50% we think didn’t actually get out to the electorate – which I thought was probably a factor.
“There was also some tactical voting, but that’s fair enough. The Lib Dem vote collapsed and Reform didn’t help either.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
Sir Michael said factors such as the financial impact of the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine had meant governments in power all across Europe were proving unpopular at the polls.
But he said his own party also needed to look closer to home for some of the reasons why it had struggled in the General Election.
“The Conservative party hasn’t helped itself by constantly fighting amongst itself over the last few years – and a succession of Prime Ministers didn’t inspire confidence with the electorate.
“I like to think it’s not a personal referendum on my performance as an MP but rather the failure of the last few years of the Conservative Government.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
Sir Michael said he wished his replacement at Westminster well.
“Dave Robertson is a decent guy and I’m sure he’ll do his best to represent Lichfield, Burntwood and the surrounding villages.
“Because I want him to do well for the people of the constituency who have elected me over all of these years I do wish him well.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
Michael blaming the party not himself I see.
Some of us remember his embarrassing defences of Dominic Cummings and Partygate all too well.
Should have kept your head down and stuck with local issues Michael
Bye bye. Won’t be missed.
“I like to think it’s not a personal referendum on my performance as an MP…” think again Michael.
Oh dear, how sad, nevermind……
Our former MP chose to come here to ‘help Lichfield’. Presumably we will continue to see him helping Lichfield by working at St Giles Hospice, the food bank, guiding tourists around the cathedral and Darwin House, helping the litter pickers or working as a volunteer at Samuel Johnson. I will not be holding my breath.
A typically undignified parting comment.
Mr Fabricant you’ve done absolutely nothing for the people of Lichfield? People remember this and vote accordingly, you should have done more to stop the thousands of new houses being built and the chaos of HS2 has caused the poor residents of Lichfield.
As Michael “adores” Lichfield, presumably he will continue living here??
No, thought not.
Unfortunately, you were too often unwilling to call out the poor leadership of your party. On top of Brexit backing you were on thin ice. But once you unashamedly fully backed Liz Truss, you were doomed. You’d have stood more chance disowning them and standing as an independent if you really cared about this constituency. Your friend Mr Street should also have done the same. Only then would you prove to put the people before party.
Hard to imagine why he ‘suspected it might happen’? He had one of the safest seats in the country. Had all other Tory constituencies performed so badly they would have been annihilated.
In this constituency he was ousted on performance and self interest alone. We had had enough.
Parliament is for National and International concerns. Local Interests need their MPs support. He has manifestly failed to provide this.
Taaaxxiiiii !!!
The swing against him to Labour was much greater than nationally, so it does look like a vote against him personally.
The pension scheme will see him for the rest of his years. I wouldn’t worry Mr. Fabricant.
You wasn’t that spectacular at your job.
What Goes Around Comes Around 😂
A true politician….everyone’s fault but his 🤣
The exit poll called Lichfield for the Conservatives. The exit poll takes into account the demographics of the constituency. It cannot take into account the characteristics of individual candidates.
Mr Fabricant lost because the vote was, in part, a referendum on his “performance”.
Well done you Lib Dems and Greens who lent Labour your votes. You made a difference.
I’m sure that Sir Michael will be busy assisting local hero Emmanuel Lions out around the city now cleaning up the place and helping people in need. Sir Fabricant of the community! I am glad you lost your job though tbh, strange little guy.
I’ve lived in Lichfield for several years now and never seen him whatsoever!
He couldn’t have been more complacent , he got lazy,thought he could get away with anything.
Such a long list of complaints against him.
He had chance to really help people in Lichfield and he was a big fail.
“The Conservative party hasn’t helped itself by constantly fighting amongst itself over the last few years – and a succession of Prime Ministers didn’t inspire confidence with the electorate.” Perhaps you should have thought of that before undermining first David Cameron’s and then Theresa May’s premierships.
A sad day for Lichfield. Sir fabricant has served us well. I see comments below saying he has done nothing for them or they haven’t seen him. Well you may not have done but did you take the time to contact him with an issue? Or do you expect an MP to knock on your door twice a week?
We now have a Labour MP and government. This by their own admission will mean higher tax (we already have the highest tax burden in 20 years), a reduction in safe spaces for women (see Labour policy) and the risk of a local historic school closing (even though all think tanks identify this policy as highly unlikely to raise and revenue in taxation).
@Gurt: I am delighted to see the back of Michael Fabricant.
Our ex MP has not served us well at all. He has lied to us, insulted many of his constituents and spent far too much time on social media stirring up hate and stoking division instead of working for the community he is meant to represent.
As for local schools, you will find state schools here in Staffordshire have lower levels of funding than many around the UK, and I don’t recall our ex MP making a particular issue of this. In fact, the main thing I will remember Michael Fabricant for is Brexit and his contribution to depriving the young people of this country of the opportunities for work, training and study offered by freedom of movement within the EU. And those things were available to everybody, not just the privileged Tory few.
@gurt I still see you are living in your daydream of Lichfield being a rural middle class idyll where the Brummies know their place and recognise your middles class superiority.
Sorry to burst your bubble but if you compare Dave our new MP with Fabricant it’s chalk and cheese. Fabricant did nothing for Burntwood and Lichfield in 32 years other than drag our area through the mud with his media appearances and twitter/x posts. I have found during the election campaign that Dave volunteers in the foodbank, set up the uniform bank and seems to actually care about Lichfield. What has Fabricant actually done locally to help hard working struggling families?
He got what he deserved after 32 years. Although I do have to say he did take his loss very graciously compared to Liz Truss and George Galloway.
Anyway it’s time to give Dave a chance to show us what he can do for Burntwood and Lichfield.
It’s about time. Now he’s gone maybe we could have things in town that aren’t just cafes barbers and phone shops. I’ve had enough of it all and he was the problem
@Gurt – highest tax burden in history? That’s down to the Tories. Broken NHS.. again, thanks to the Tories. Waiting lists were low and satisfaction highest until they got in. Legal immigration off the charts… All of this on the Tory watch.
Yes I mailed Mr Fabricant numerous times. Did I get a response? No! Too busy on GB News… No surgeries to drop into. He did not represent us well at all.
You really do have a blinkered view and full of scaremongering. I’d suggest you sit back, keep quiet and suck it up for 5 years. If all you say comes to fruition, then you can pipe up again and say I told you so. But I equally expect you to also acknowledge you got it wrong when that does not happen.
The likes of you are an example of everything wrong in society and the world. Selfish attitudes, and only thinking about personal gain. Lichfield does not need people like you.
@Gurt – I think I speak for at least 2/3 of the Lichfield electorate, judging by your likes and dislikes, when I say the area would be better off without people like you living in it. I’d suggest rather than whine for the next 1825 days , you either keep your snobbish opinions to yourself or move to somewhere that is more in keeping of your small minded views.
Your blind defense of Sir Michael and the Tory party is inexcusable. The facts are black and white. The country is in a far worse state now than what they took over. High tax, the state of the NHS, poor public transport. All down to the Tory government. This happens every time with a Tory government. That is why when Labour do get in, it is always with huge landslides. Now they have to try and fix it all again, which is a huge ask now the Tories have bankrupted the country
History shows that the Tories eventually ruin the country with their own in fighting and self serving interests. 4 PMs in 4 years is evidence enough.
@Gurt – I would suggest you get a life and stop being so obsessed about having lost. Why not volunteer to help out in the community, food banks etc.. Get to actually know Lichfield properly and not just those that surround your Tory bubble? But I suspect all that will be beneath you as you don’t seem the community type.
You clearly aren’t happy in life. Find someone or something else to focus on. A new job, volunteering, exercising, make new friends. You just seem like an angry person that is disliked probably by both friends and family. Maybe if you start to broaden your mind a little, you won’t be so small minded.
What a sorry couple of comments for him to bow out on.
Yes, the performance/behaviour/antics/disunity (choose any or all) have made it impossible for many to vote for the Conservatives. I almost feel sorry for those whose job it was to campaign for them…..
…. and I’m a right leaning centrist voter, but long ago decided to back Dave Robertson and Labour.
No Sir Michael, you were judged on your character, behaviour and ability to find the worst of Tory policies and people and back them to the hilt.
And no, more leaflets through the door would not have changed any of this. (These should be banned anyway on the basis that 99% go from front door to recycling bin in 12 seconds flat. But I couldn’t find that in anyone’s manifesto!)
Anyhoot, go Dave!
Good riddance.
Will it be lord Lichfield next?
Feel sad for Gurt. He’s a bad loser and he obviously hasn’t seen through the lies peddled by the previous government for the last 14 years, unlike most of us, who have noticed that we are living in a country broken by 14 years of self centred and incompetent government. I too have written to our ex MP on many occasions, he replied almost every time but always with a standard letter that often missed the point. I had little time for Mr Fabricant’s’ politics but to be fair he was visible in Lichfield until the murder of Jo Cox, which understandably led to most MPs keeping a much lower public profile. Sadly for him, Mr F won’t be much missed because sadly for us he didn’t do much for Lichfield. Let’s hope his successor does a good job for Lichfield and Burntwood.