AS IT HAPPENED: Lib Dems take Harrogate and Knaresborough but Tories win in Ripon

Julian Smith has held onto Skipton and Ripon for the Conservatives on a bad night for the party as it lost its grip on power to Labour.

Meanwhile, Tom Gordon has won Harrogate and Knaresborough for the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Alec Shelbrooke has won the new Wetherby and Easingwold constituency for the Conservatives.

Here's what happened on a long and dramatic night.

Wetherby and Easingwold result

Alec Shelbrooke, Conservative, 20,597 (39.4%)

Ben Pickles, Labour, 15,751 (30.1%)

Mike Jordan, Reform UK, 7,288 (13.9%)

Arnold Warneken, Greem Party, 4,529 (8.7%)

James Monaghan, Liberal Democrat, 3,351

John Hall, Yorkshire Party, 743

6.51am: Sir Alec Shelbrooke wins Wetherby and Easingwold

The Conservatives have won two of the three local seats. Sir Alec Shelbrooke and Julian Smith are both victorious.

6.41am: Skipton and Ripon result

Julian Smith, Conservative, 18,833 (35.2%)

Malcolm Birks, Labour, 17,183 (32.1%)

Simon Garvey, Reform UK, 8,516 (15.9%)

Andrew Murday, Lib Dems, 4,194 (7.8%)

Andy Brown, Green Party, 3,446 (6.4%)

Ryan Kett, Yorkshire Party, 627 (1.2%)

Keith Tordoff, Independent, 493 (0.9%)

Guy Phoenix, Heritage Party, 158 (0.3%)

6.30am: Conservatives hold Skipton and Ripon

Julian Smith has won in Skipton and Ripon for the Conservatives.

Mr Smith, who first won the seat in 2010, will continue as the constituency's MP.

5.10am: Remaining results await

It's past 5am and we're still awaiting results from Skipton and Ripon and Wetherby and Easingwold.

4.50am: Turnout for Wetherby and Easingwold

The turnout for the newly created Wetherby and Easingwold seat was 70.56%.

4.20am: Turnout for Skipton and Ripon

The turnout for Skipton and Ripon was 68%.

4.11am: Green candidate angry about location of count

Andy Brown, the Green Party candidate in Skipton and Ripon, has criticised the decision not to hold the count for the seat within the constituency. 

3.40am: Big delay for Skipton and Ripon result

We have been informed the Skipton and Ripon result is now not expected until at least 5am, so we are going to wander back to the other hall to catch up with the Wetherby and Easingworld count.

3.04am: Result unlikely soon in Skipton and Ripon

Things are pretty quiet in the other hall, where the Skipton and Ripon vote is taking place.

You have to walk a fair distance between the two halls where the vote is taking place and Bambinos on King's Road was doing brisk trade before it closed.

People have been crowding around the big screen watching Keir Starmer retain his seat.

2.21am: Skipton and Ripon result awaits

We're now awaiting the result in Skipton and Ripon.

Julian Smith, Conservative, will be defending his seat tonight. Labour's Malcolm Birks will be hoping to take it from him.

1.35am: Lib Dems win Harrogate and Knaresborough

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat, has won the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency. He received 23,976 votes.

The Conservative candidate and former MP, Andrew Jones, came second with 15,738 votes.

Mr Gordon said it was a "historic night" for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

1.25am: Provisional results being shared

Returning officer Richard Flinton says the provisional results will be shared with candidates and agents in a side room. The delay here will mean counting for Wetherby and Easingwold will start later than expected.

1.07am: Still waiting

People are gathering for the Harrogate and Knaresborough result, but returning officer Richard Flinton has yet to take to the plinth.

12.46am: Conservatives subdued

There are a lot of Conservatives here at the count, including candidate Andrew Jones, but the mood could hardly be described as upbeat. There appears to be a resignation to losing the seat.

12.42am: Minutes away from victory?

It's difficult to find anyone here who doesn't think Lib Dem Tom Gordon is going to take Harrogate and Knaresborough. Mr Gordon has been here all night while his Tory rival Andrew Jones recently arrived.

12.39am: Reform third?

Reform UK candidate Jonathan Swales says he is hopeful of finishing third, ahead of Labour. We should know soon.

12.31am: Harrogate and Knaresborough turnout

The turnout for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is 66.95%.

We are expecting a declaration in around 15 minutes time.

12.21am: Labour candidate beaming

Labour Harrogate and Knaresborough candidate Conrad Whitcroft is celebrating the BBC exit poll, which forecasts a huge Labour majority. 

Mr Whitcroft, who was 11-years-old when Labour were last in power, is not expected to win in Harrogate and Knaresborough but having been part of David Skaith’s successful mayoral campaign he is beaming at the prospect of more electoral success for the party.

12.15am: Yorkshire Party arrives for Ripon count

Ryan Kett of the Yorkshire Party has arrived at the Ripon count. He will be hoping to increase the party's vote share in the constituency.

11.24pm: Candidates await results

Many of the candidates are already at the count. Here are Skipton and Ripon independent Keith Tordoff, Skipton and Ripon Lib Dem Andrew Murday and Harrogate and Knaresborough independent Paul Haslam.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dem Tom Gordon is here but no sign yet of his Tory rival Andrew Jones, who is expecetd to lose the seat after 14 years.

11.18pm: Expected declaration times 

Harrogate and Knaresborough is expected to declare at 12.30am, followed by Skipton and Ripon at 3.30am and then Wetherby and Easingwold at 5am. There are 180 counters for Harrogate and Knaresborough while 60 are counting for Skipton and Ripon in a separate room. Once Harrogate and Knaresborough is declared, the counters will divide between Wetherby and Easingwold and Skipton and Ripon.

11.08pm: Julian Smith to retain Skipton and Ripon?

The exit poll is also saying Conservative Julian Smith could hold on to Skipton and Ripon, which is expected to be a close battle with Labour. Fellow Tory Sir Alec Shelbrooke is predicted to take the new Wetherby and Easingwold seat. 

11.01pm: BBC exit poll predicts Lib Dems to win Harrogate and Knaresborough

The BBC exit poll suggests Lib Dem Tom Gordon is on the verge of succeeding Conservative Andrew Jones. 

10.55pm: Counting in Ripon

We'll also be covering the Skipton and Ripon declaration tonight.

The current estimated time for the result is 3.30am.

10.45pm - Candidates arriving at the count

Candidates for Harrogate and Knaresborough are slowly arriving.

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat candidate, Independent Paul Haslam and Jonathan Swales of Reform UK have all been spotted. Shan Oakes of the Greens is also here.

10.17pm: Harrogate and Knaresborough declaration at 12.30am?

Returning officer Richard Flinton, the chief excecutive of North Yorkshire council, is introducing proceedings.  

Harrogate and Knaresborough, Wetherby and Easingwold and Selby constituencies are being counted in one room. Skipton and Ripon is being counted in another room here at Harrogate Convention Centre. We are told Harrogate and Knaresborough is likely to be the first to declare and could be as early as 12.30am.

10.08pm: Labour landslide predicted

The BBC exit poll has predicted Labour will have a huge majority of 170 seats.

10pm: Polls close

Polls have officially closed in the 2024 general election.

We’re live at Harrogate Convention Centre, where candidates and their political aides are expected to come later to hear the declarations.