General election 2010: ‘Yes we Khan’ as Labour hold Tooting
By Sam Dale
Transport minister Sadiq Khan has held the crucial marginal of Tooting in south London.
The seat was the 113th target for the Conservatives and if reflected across the country will result in a hung parliament with the Tories as the largest party.
Mr Khan polled 22,038 votes with a 2,500 majority over Conservative candidate Matt Clarke.
Although there was a 3.6% swing to the Tories, it was lower than that recorded in nearby Putney and Battersea.
Mr Khan’s supporters chanted ‘yes we Khan’ as his victory was announced by the returning officer.
Veronica King, a Labour campaign worker, said: “We’re delighted, he’s a local candidate and worked so hard for the constituency in the last five years.
“We’ve had non-traditional Labour voters in safe Conservative wards telling us they’re going to vote for him because he’s worked so hard.”
Tooting is the more Labour-inclined part of the constituency and has a large ethnic community.
