Home Secretary Suella Braverman has won a battle with backbencher Flick Drummond to be selected as a candidate for a proposed new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville.
Constituency boundary changes meant the two Hampshire Conservative MPs had to compete to represent the new seat at the next election.
The PA news agency has been informed that Ms Braverman won the vote – which had been dubbed by commentators as the “Battle of Waterlooville” – amongst eligible local members by 77 to 54.
After the result, Ms Drummond told PA: “I am incredibly disappointed but will continue to be Meon Valley MP and serve my constituents until the next election.”
A number of constituency changes have been proposed across the UK as part of the 2023 boundary review.
The review started in January 2021, and its final recommendations are due to be presented by July 1 this year, with changes expected before the next election.
The Boundary Commission for England has closed its “final consultation” and is considering the feedback received.
Its plans would remove the existing Meon Valley and Fareham constituencies, and the two MPs competed for the newly proposed constituency.
Ms Drummond represented Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017, and has represented Meon Valley since 2019.
Ms Braverman has represented the Fareham constituency since 2015.
