Election 2015: Labour keep stronghold in Wakefield

Three out of the district’s four Labour MPs, Mary Creagh, Yvette Cooper and Jon Trickett were relected,

Although it might yet turn out to be a night and day of mixed emotions for Ms Cooper once the fate of her husband, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls was confirmed.

Once the results Ms Cooper’s constituency, Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford were announced she made a quick exit from the count and refused to answer any questions about her own future, as a possible leader of the Labour party or that of her husband whose political career could be hanging in the balance.

Ms Cooper won 25,213 votes to secure a majority of 15,428.

She said: “I would like to thank the people of Pontefract, Castleford, Normanton and Knottingley for re-electing me. It is a great honour to represent our towns.”

Runner-up Nathan Garbutt, UKIP candidate, received 9,785 votes and Conservatives’ Beth Prescott was third with 9,569.

Mary Creagh secured her third term as MP for Wakefield in a campaign that was believed to be much closer than the result suggested.

Ms Creagh won 17,301 votes although earlier in the evening her rivals were suggesting she maybe in trouble.

She said: “I am absolutely thrilled to serve a third term. We have had a very difficult and disappointing night in Scotland.

“We have gained seats elsewhere but not as many as we would have liked to have taken.

“We want to work together to make sure that the Wakefield district economy continues to grow for every person in Wakefield not just a chosen few.

The former shadow health minister increased her majority

In the 2010 elections it was 1,613 but after last night’s election it is now 2,613.

Tory candidate Antony Calvert finished second with 14,688 votes.

And the Hemsworth seat was held by Labour’s Jon Trickett.

He took 51.3 per cent of the vote to retain his seat.

Mr Trickett said: “I am very happy to be elected. I love my constituents they are great people. they are very strong minded, hardworking people and I try to reflect that in how I work.”

Christopher Pearson, from the Conservatives, came second place with 9,694 votes.

Meanwhile the seat of Ed Balls, Outwood and Morley, had been under constant speculation throughout the night with leaks starting early that Mr Balls would lose, or had lost his seat.

RESULTS

Mary Creagh 17,301

Antony Calvert 14,688

Alan Hazelhurst UK Independence Party 7,862

Finbarr Cronin Liberal Democrats 1,483

Rebecca Jandrell Thackray Green Party 1,069

Mick Griffiths Trade Unionist and Social Coalition 287

Elliot Barr Cannabis is Safer Than Alcohol Party 283

Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford

Yvette Cooper Labour party 25,213

Nathan Garbutt UKIP 9,785

Beth Prescott Conservative Party 9,569

Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott liberal Democrats 1,330

Hemsworth

Jon Hedley Trickett Labour Party 21772

Christopher James Pearson Conservative Party 9694

Steve Ashton UKIP 8565

Mary MacQueen Liberal Democrats 1357

Martin Paul Roberts Yorkshire First 1018