George Osborne has successfully defended the Tatton seat which he first won in 2001, and retained in 2005, with 54.6% of the votes and an overall majority of 14,487. The turnout was 45,231, with 68.9% of the electorate voting in what is historically a Tory stronghold.
Speaking after the results were announced at 3.45am, George Osborne said "I am enormously honoured that the people of Tatton constituency have chosen to re-elect me and I'll do everything I can to live up to that.
"It is clear that the country have chosen to reject the Labour Party and it is clear they have chosen to reject a Prime Minister who was not elected in the first place."
The Tatton MP, who dashed off to London soon after the results, had been up against Sarah Flannery (Independent), Michael Gibson (The True English (Poetry) Party), Richard Jackson (Labour) and David Lomax (Liberal Democrat).
Speaking with the candidates earlier in the evening, George Osborne told me "When you walk in the hall there is a real feeling of excitement and that doesn't go away even though this is my third time. I know what the routine is a bit more, and there is more national media here this time but there is still a tingle of excitement."
David Lomax, Liberal Democratic, said "I am excited but not confident, I don't expect to overturn George Osborne. The campaign has been good, lots of people have offered to help deliver leaflets and I have discovered places I didn't know existed. David added "I would certainly do it all again, given the chance."
Labour candidate Richard Jackson said "It would be very difficult to do particularly well tonight given this is traditionally a strong Tory area. My campaign hasn't been helped by things that have happened nationally, some of which are indefensible, so I have concentrated on local issues because I am the local candidate."
Independent candidate Sarah Flannery said "It feels that what I have said has gone down well, but you can't compete against the party machine, however there is something very appealing about representing the people rather than a party.
"It has been a humbling experience and I will be delighted to get 5% of the Tatton vote and my deposit returned."
I also managed to catch up with Michael Gibson just before the count started, he was enjoying the experience and was delighted to tell me "I have reached the starting line and will be a candidate in the election for Oxford Professor of Poetry. I have spent the last two days campaigning and now need the students to vote for me."
Tatton is the wealthiest constituency in the north of England, and the third wealthiest in the UK, after Kensington and Chelsea and Cities of London and Westminster. The safe conservative seat was lost for one term between 1997 and 2001 when Martin Bell, an Independent candidate and former war correspondent, defeated Tory MP Neil Hamilton following allegations he had been associated with the cash for questions scandal, but otherwise it has remained a Tory stronghold.
Below we take a look at today's results as well as those for the three previous General Elections:
2010 General Election Results: Tatton constituency
Conservative Majority 14,487 - 32.0%, Turnout 45,231 - 68.9%
| Candidate | Votes | % share |
|---|---|---|
| George Osborne, Conservative | 24687 | 54.6% |
| David Lomax, Liberal Democrat | 10200 | 22.6% |
| Richard Jackson, Labour | 7803 | 17.3% |
| Sarah Flannery, Independent | 2243 | 5.0% |
| Michael Gibson, The True English (Poetry) Party | 298 | 0.7% |
2005 General Election Results: Tatton constituency
Conservative Majority 11,731 - 28.3%, Turnout 41,414 - 64.6%.
| Candidate | Votes | % share |
|---|---|---|
| George Osborne, Conservative | 21,447 | 51.8% |
| Justin Madders, Labour | 9,716 | 23.5% |
| Ainsley Arnold, Liberal Democrat | 9,016 | 21.8% |
| Diane Bowler, UK Independent Party | 996 | 2.4% |
| Michael Gibson, Independent | 239 | 0.6% |
2001 General Election Results: Tatton constituency
Conservative Majority 8,611 - 20.8%, Turnout 41,278 - 63.6%.
| Candidate | Votes | % share |
|---|---|---|
| George Osborne, Conservative | 19,860 | 48.1% |
| Steve Conquest, Labour | 11,249 | 27.3% |
| Mike Ash, Liberal Democrat | 7,685 | 18.6% |
| Mark Sheppard, UK Independent Party | 769 | 1.9% |
| Peter Sharratt, Independent | 734 | 1.8% |
| Viviane Allinson, Tatton | 505 | 1.2% |
| John Batchelor, Independent | 322 | 0.8% |
| Jonathan Boyd Hunt | 154 | 0.4% |
1997 General Election Results: Tatton constituency
Independent Majority 11,077 - , Turnout 48,666 - 76.5%
| Candidate | Votes | % share |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Bell, Independent | 29,354 | 60.2% |
| Neil Hamilton, Conservative | 18,277 | 37.5% |
| S Hill, Independent Conservative | 295 | 0.6% |
| S Kinsey, Independent Conservative | 184 | 0.4% |
| B Penhaul, Miss Moneypenny's Glamorous One Party | 128 | 0.3% |
| J Muir, Albion Party | 126 | 0.3% |
| David Bishop, Lord Byro Versus the Scallywag Tories | 116 | 0.2% |
| R Nicholas, Independent Conservative | 113 | 0.2% |
| J Price, Juice Party | 73 | 0.1% |
