General Election 2019: Conservative Craig Whittaker 'honoured' to be representing the Calder Valley again

Conservative Craig Whittaker said 'it is an honour' to be representing  The Calder Valley for a fourth term after retaining his seat in the General Election 2019.
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In total there was a 73.25% voter turnout in Calder Valley as 58,072 ballot papers were received

Mr Whittaker said that it was clear that the people want government to "fix the paralysis of parliament".

His majority dramatically increased from 609 to 5,774.

Conservative Calder Valley MP Craig WhittakerConservative Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker
Conservative Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker
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"It's been an honour and a privilege to be given a fourth term by the people of the Calder Valley.

"It is another I won't take for granted. The voters' message was clear, he said.

"They have given us a very clear message of what it is they want and that is fixing Brexit, breaking the deadlock of Parliament and getting on with fixing things that are important to people in society," he said.

"We are a prime leave seat and people are pretty disgusted about Parliament's inability to take responsibility for fixing that most democratic of votes and the trust levels and division that it has caused over the last two and a half years. People are fed up with it," he said.

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Labour's Josh Fenton-Glynn, who serves as a Labour councillor for Calder ward, said: "I was disappointed with tonight's results in the national picture. I believe in Labour values and will continue to fight for those Labour values.

"I hope to be returning as a councillor again in 2020, but I'm just going to keep doing what I can in my community and try to continue to."

Coun Fenton-Glynn also said that he will continue his work with local flood prevention charity 'Slow the Flow' and does not know if he will campaign in the next General Election.

Liberal Democrat candidate Javed Bashir said: "We ran a very positive campaign, the outcomes and responses we had on doorsteps have been very positive and reflected how the country is feeling.

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"We have a leave constituency, coming in to this election night with a leave revoke was always going to be an uphill struggle."

Liberal Party candidate and bus driver Richard Phillips has said that he is pleased with how his campaign has went.

"I think the campaign for the Liberal Party has gone quite well. We have come across as an alternative vote and I think it has reflected in some of the count so far.

"Hopefully this is going to be a step in the right direction for people wanting real liberalism in Calder Valley," said Mr Phillips.

The results in Calder Valley were:

Craig Whittaker, Conservative, 29,981 votes.

Josh Fenton-Glynn, Labour, 24,207 votes.

Javed Bashir, Liberal Democrats, 2,884 votes.

Richard Phillips, Liberal Party, 725.