LIB Dem candidate Stan Pajak said his party’s future the was up for debate.

The party was left rudderless after leader Jo Swinson lost her House of Commons seat.

Mr Pajak told the Adver: “The future will be very difficult to predict. We’re going through a period now where Brexit will have to be negotiated. There’s no two ways about that.

“We will have to find a new leader as well. The way the party goes will be up for debate."

The veteran Swindon councillor, 62, who has fought three national polls for the Lib Dems in South Swindon, said it would be his final outing as a General Election candidate.

In a self-deprecating and gently humorous speech he thanked his fellow candidates. But he warned that people were becoming more and more fed up of politics – likening it to a never-ending Eastender’s episode.

Now is the time to change. Make politics mean something again and get things done for this town," he said.

It was a point echoed by Labour candidate Sarah Church.

She said: “I have stood against the Conservatives in this town because I believed in something different. But I have believed entirely in doing this in a positive and never an underhand way. I am proud of that.

“It worries me that at the national level British politics is taking a downward turn.

"I look to Robert and others who have been elected tonight to bring that up a level, please, to make sure that we can all have faith in politicians and you do deliver on the promises you have made to us.”