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Election 2010 result: No shocks for Vara in North West Cambs
Shailesh Vara with Conservative supporters at the Holiday Inn count last night.
CONSERVATIVES have held their seat in North West Cambridgeshire although the Liberal Democrats were the big surprise of the night with a surge to second place.
Shailesh Vara said it was a “great privilege” to hold onto the constituency securing 29,425 votes. He had a 16,677-vote majority over second place Liberal Democrat Kevin Wilkins who received 12,748 votes ahead of Labour’s Chris York with 9,877.
He said: “I am delighted that I will be able to represent the people of this community, both locally and nationally, again at Parliament.
“I am certainly very pleased with the turnout as it is higher than last time and I am not too surprised the Lib Dems have come second as they were only about 1,500 votes behind Labour last time.”
And he vowed that he would tackle four of the biggest issues facing the constituency, the economy, immigration, jobs and development.
He said: “First things first we have got to get a grip on the economy.
“It is vital that small businesses are helped and that the job market is supported not only for the people looking for work but for young people coming into the market place.
“Immigration is also a major concern to people and law and order, especially anti-social behaviour. We need to get police officers away from filling in forms and back onto the streets.”
However, despite pushing Labour back into third the Liberal Democrat candidate Kevin Wilkins was not present at the count.
Labour’s candidate Chris York said it would have been “a miracle” if he had got in.
He said: “I have treated this campaign as if every day is the last day and I even got a call yesterday from David Miliband to give me some encouragement.
“I have really tried to raise the profile of the party in my campaign and remind people that a lot of their issues, such as the council and primary care trust, are actually run by the Tories.
“I have had a great time on the trail, meeting people, probably the strangest thing I have been asked about, was to help bury a dead cat, as the owner could not afford the crematorium fee,
“I said yes I would help out and do a little service as well and this is what life and politics should be about, helping people in need.”
The first box to arrive at the Holiday Inn was number 57 from Glinton which arrived shortly after 10pm.
But the count got off to a delayed start due to a missing ballot box from Warboys which was not delivered until just after 2am, when the count began in earnest.
And this was the moment that a fresh-faced Mr Vara arrived at 2am to inject some energy into the proceedings.
An upbeat Mr Vara said he had spent the last day visiting as many polling stations as possible and meeting would-be voters.
The two massive conference rooms at the hotel had been transformed with tables for the “counters”, the paid volunteers, who sat in rows speedily counting up their blue or green bts of paper, while watching from the sidelines were rosette wearing party members and ward councillors.
Mayor of Peterborough councillor Irene Walsh had delegated her post as returning officer to Peterborough City Council chief executive Gillian Beasley, however she was soon drafted in to act as a counting agent when someone did not turn up.
English Democrat candidate Stephen Goldspink said he had fully expected to finish toward the bottom of the list but he was not disheartened.
He added that he had felt humbled when he saw he had received some votes.
He said: “The fact people have looked at the things I have said and the literature I have given to them is really something.
“Putting yourself forward for parliament is an interesting experience.
“It’s the first time a candidate for this party has stood so I am under no illusions that as the new kids on the block it was going to be tough.
“What I am interested in is how much of an impact we have made in this short time.”
Mr Goldspink, whose wife is also standing in the Peterborough City Council elections, had sent 50,000 leaflets out by mail and said the response on the streets, particularly in Stanground and Fletton, had been positive.
He said: “It seems to have reached the people which is the main thing.
“When I have been out and about on the streets, on the doorstep the main questions have been on immigration and this is something that Gordon Brown has failed the people on.”
UKIP’s Robert Brown joked that he should demand a re-count after failing to sweep to victory. He spent a hectic day yesterday visiting every single polling station in the constituency.
Sporting a shirt with his photograph on it, Mr Brown said: “I think I am the only candidate who has done that as I know these people work very hard.
“The day has been a strange one, what with Nigel’s aircraft accident, although he could have landed near Cambridgeshire as it might have given me a boost!”
Asked what the strangest request he had received so far, Mr Brown said it was from a consituent who asked if he became MP would he shave his beard off.
He added: “I said I would have to think about the beard.
“He also asked if I would comb my hair if elected, which I think I could probably manage.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
poshgirl2000uk
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 05:27 AMwoohoo mr vara back in still waiting after 2 yrs for a reply to a concern i had! by the way has anybody actually seen him? p.s i unemployed can somebody plz take away my broken tv as i dont drive and cant get to the rubbish tip and cant afford to pay pcc to take it away!
Sofedup
Friday, May 7, 2010 at 09:46 AMWell, it was never going to be anything different, but as the standing MP many of the issues he says he is going to tackle, he could have done before, we certainly never saw him round here. Stuck in leafy villages with houses worth more than £250K no doubt. Well done to the Loberals for increasing their vote, pity it wasn't a lot more
The Chief
Friday, May 7, 2010 at 09:25 AMChris York. Massive loser in every way.
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