Pensions minister Steve Webb loses seat to Conservatives

The long-serving Lib Dem lost his Thornbury & Yate seat to Tory Luke Hall.  Hall got 19,924 votes compared to Webb's 18,429, which was 14% down on the last election. The Conservative vote was up 4% with UKIP also making significant gains.  Webb was the longest serving pensions minister with his five-year stint.  His major policy pushes included reform of the state pension and integrating George Osborne's pensions freedom policy. Portal Financial managing director Jamie Smith-Thompson has warned of a period of uncertainty following Webb's ousting from the Department for Work a...