General Election 2019: 'People are scared' - Rugby Labour's Debbie Bannigan says party is 'devastated' at exit poll predictions

Votes are being counted at the Benn Hall.

The exit poll has predicted a Conservative majority of 86, with a 99 per cent or more chance that Conservative Mark Pawsey will retain his Rugby and Bulkington seat.

Debbie Bannigan told the Advertiser: "I think it would be wrong to say that we are anything other than devastated - I've been receiving messages from people ever since the exit poll was announced who are scared of what their future holds.

"People who are very vulnerable, people who rely on the NHS, people who are concerned for the care of the elderdly, People are concerned as to whether they're every going to get a foot on the property ladder.

"We have to think about what we're going to do to protect them from whatever this government is throwing at us.

"We're a strong party with a long history of campaigning in the town, we've got a good Labour group on the council.

"We've got a lot of people who rely on us- and they rely on us not just to provide support for them but to hold the Tory group to account.

"And that's what we have to continue to do - we have to continue to hold the politicians to account and we have to continue to make sure that we require our politicians to be brave for us and to be bold for us.

"This town deserves so much more, and we have to make sure that those that we trust with the positions of power and we have to make sure that they use them well for us."

A result for Rugby and Bulkington is expected at around 2am.

More reactions from other candidates as they arrive.