MEON Valley MP Flick Drummond this evening lost the battle to be the Tory candidate in a new constituency.

She went head to head with the home secretary and Fareham MP Suella Braverman in a tussle to contest a new Hampshire constituency.

The vote was 77 to 54 in favour of Mrs Braverman.

The meeting of Conservative Party members from both constituencies was held at a undisclosed location in Portsmouth.

Mrs Braverman's Fareham constituency and the Meon Valley constituency of Mrs Drummond are being replaced by a new one, to be called Fareham and Waterlooville.

Mrs Drummond told the Chronicle, in a statement: "I am very disappointed not to be selected as the Conservative candidate to fight for the new Fareham and Waterlooville seat at the next general election.

"However, I remain the MP for the wonderful Meon Valley until a general election is called. That has always been my focus – being a good constituency MP - and nothing will change. This morning it is business as usual and I have much to do.

"I would like to thank all those who supported me and for the huge number of people from across the country who have sent me good wishes.

"In terms of the future. I can confirm I only applied for the Fareham and Waterlooville seat. I have not applied for any others. I would only be interested in representing an area that I know well as I have lived in Hampshire for the last 37 years."

READ MORE HERE: Plan to scrap Meon Valley constituency

The result leaves the political future of Mrs Drummond uncertain. A new seat of Hamble Valley has been proposed which includes a chunk of Mrs Braverman's Fareham constituency. No Conservative Party candidate has yet been selected.

The Boundary Commission has recommended that both constituencies of Fareham and Meon Valley be replaced. Meon Valley is considered too small. It has only been a constituency since 2010 and was first represented by Sir George Hollingbery.

Mrs Drummond has been its MP since 2019 and Mrs Braverman has represented Fareham since 2015.

The commission is trying to make all constituencies across the UK more equal in size.

The Winchester constituency will take a part of both the Fareham and Meon Valley constituencies whilst losing Chandler's Ford to Eastleigh. It recreates the constituency when Winchester was held by Lib Dem Mark Oaten until 2010.

The new constituency will be named Fareham and Waterlooville. The name sparked the media to dub tonight's contest as the 'Battle of Waterlooville'.

Before becoming Meon Valley MP Mrs Drummond was deputy police and crime commissioner for Hampshire and MP for Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017. She has also been a Winchester city councillor.

The commission's final recommendations are due by July 1. The new constituency will be in place in time for the next general election due in late 2024 or early 2025.