In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2024, we take a look at how the general election reshaped the political landscape in the district.

In the space of 24 hours in July, Harrogate and Knaresborough changed politically from blue to yellow.

While the national media focused on the collapse of the Conservatives and the rise of Labour under Sir Keir Starmer, a different story was played at Harrogate Convention Centre where the results were counted for the local seat as well as the constituencies of Skipton and Ripon and Wetherby and Easingwold.

The Liberal Democrats had targeted Harrogate and Knaresborough years in advance.

Their efforts paid off when Andrew Jones, 60, who had been the Tory MP for 14 years, was replaced by 30-year-old Lib Dem Tom Gordon.

It was another blow to local Conservatives, who two months earlier had lost the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire election to Labour.

Change appeared inevitable when the clock struck 10pm and the BBC exit poll indicated Sir Keir was to enter 10 Downing Street with a huge majority.

Mr Jones was matter-of-fact when speaking to the Stray Ferret after his defeat, remarking his campaign had been largely helpless in the face of a “tsunami of change” nationally.

The night at Harrogate Convention Centre was something of a microcosm of what was happening across the nation.

Mr Jones had once commanded a majority of 18,168 and increased his share of the voye in 2019. But in was dramatically wiped out and replaced by a Lib Dem majority of over 8,000 following Mr Gordon's energetic campaign.

Tory success elsewhere

The Tories in Harrogate and Knaresborough may have been left wondering where it all went wrong but elsewhere locally the blue wall held up — just.

Tory MPs were returned in both Skipton and Ripon and Wetherby and Easingwold.

Sir Julian Smith, once Northern Ireland secretary under Prime Minister Theresa May, fended off a challenge from Labour’s Malcolm Birks to cling onto his seat even though his majority was slashed from 23,694 to 1,650.

His success came the day after he was awarded a knighthood by Rishi Sunak. Sir Julian's tenure as MP now looks likely to extend to at least almost 20 years.

Labour’s efforts to make further headway in the Harrogate district also fell short in the newly created Wetherby and Easingwold seat, where Sir Alec Shelbrooke won by 4,846 votes.

Ben Pickles, who aimed to win the seat for Sir Keir Starmer, did not stick around to speak to the media and explain how the party fell short.

Since the votes were declared in the early hours of July 5, the Harrogate district now has a Liberal Democrat MP, a Labour mayor and a Conservative council.

All that’s left to decide is which political colour will be in control of a Harrogate Town Council — but that’s a story for 2025, which we will cover in the next few days.