Conservative Esther McVey loses her Wirral seat by just over 400 votes

The former employment minister narrowly lost her seat to Labour

McVey lost to Labour's Margaret Greenwood by just 417 votes (Getty)

Esther McVey, the Liverpool scrap merchant's daughter turned TV presenter, who had ambitions to be prime minister dramatically lost her seat. By just over 400 votes.

Her 2,436 majority in Wirral West was overturned and Labour's Margaret Greenwood won the seat with a 417 majority.

The employment minister whose cuts to disability benefit and the introduction of the bedroom tax have been massively unpopular, had failed to cling on to the seat after a campaign to oust her.

It was particularly humiliating as a government minister to lose her seat.

The result had been almost too close to call, though, and counting of votes only begin in the early hours at Bidston tennis centre, where the atmosphere was tense. There were groans at around 4:15am when a recount was announced, prompted by McVey.

Labour's victory for Margaret Greenwood was greeted with loud applause. She said she would work for all people in the constituency regardless of political party.

McVey, 47, took the seat in 2010, her second attempt after first failing to win it a decade ago.

McVey kept a low profile at the Bidston tennis centre, as she has through the campaign, generally avoiding journalists. She emerged shortly before the declaration was expected at around 3am, with her father Jim and was mobbed by the media.

McVey had described herself as a "compassionate Merseyside Conservative."

Turnout was high in the country’s smallest constituency, with just over 55,000 voters.

There were anecdotal reports yesterday of queues at polling stations in West Wirral with some reporting turnout as high as 50%, according to figures released through the day.

A Canadian senator, David Smith, who was an observer at the election said polling stations he had visited noted a significant increase in voting which he said showed democracy was working.

Wirral West has some pockets of wealth. Caldy, Meols, Hoylake and West Kirby are rich and there are vast detached homes by the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

There are areas of deprivation, too, such as the sprawling Woodchurch estate, which is much more naturally red than blue territory.

McVey was an extraordinarily divisive figure who has been the subject of a sustained - and often vicious - campaign against her.

A You Tube video which likened her to the wicked witch of the Wirral and has been viewed more than 10,000 times. Election posters have been defaced and graffiti appeared on the wall of Hoylake job centre.

She faced widespread criticism after denying there was a link between food bank use and welfare reform. Last week, she was quoted in the Liverpool Echo saying the claimant count had halved in her constituency since she became a minister.

Her Labour successor Margaret Greenwood, 56, a teacher and community activist, had, at one stage, a five point lead over McVey in Lord Ashcroft's polls. More recently, it had shrunk to three points.

Greenwood has consistently refused to engage in the nasty war of words against her Tory rival.

The Conservative big hitters were also trotted out over the last few days of the campaign.

William Hague turned up in an unfortunately named West Kirby train station cafe: Toast. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a succinct reflection on McVey's parliamentary career.

Ann Widdecombe was spotted cheerily canvassing on the doorsteps of Hoylake in the rain.

Labour officials were confident throughout the count but said it was too close to call.