GENERAL ELECTION 2015: Former council leader David Mackintosh says he is “looking forward to challenges ahead” after winning Northampton South

The Conservative candidate, who received 16,163 votes, beating his nearest rival Kevin McKeever (Labour) with 12,370 votes.

Mr Mackintosh said he was “looking forward to the challenges ahead” in his new role.

The former leader of Northampton Borough Council won the seat with more than 16,000 votes, 1,000 more than his predecessor, Brian Binley. The results were announced at around 5am this morning at the Royal & Derngate theatre in Northampton.

He said: “I wish Brian Binley all the best in his retirement and I would like to thank all the people who voted for me, they put their trust in me and I won’t let them down.

“Northampton voters wanted to see the improvement in infrastructure and the growth in jobs that we have been putting in place. People cared about the economy, they liked the economic recovery and the Conservative Government was bringing and they didn’t want to risk losing that.”

Mr Mackintosh has stood down as leader of the borough council and has faced some criticism during his term in office for some of his actions in the town, including the building of the Northgate bus station.

He said: “I think the next term will be about carrying on what we’ve already started. I’ve already fought hard to get investment in the town and I will fight hard to continue that.

“My first job as MP today (Friday) will be to take part in the VE Day commemoration service at All Saints Church in Northampton. I can’t think of a better way to start a job than marking those local people of Northampton who made the ultimate sacrifice 70 years ago, to bring us the freedom and prosperity to allow us to vote.”

Runner-up, Labour candidate Kevin McKeever said: “It has been a fun and fair campaign and I hope that the peope of Northampton enjoyed my style of campaigning. You can mark my words that we will back in five years’ time.”

The full results were as follows:

Sadik Chaudhury (Liberal Democrat): 1,673

Rose Gibbins (UKIP): 7,114

Julie Hawkins (Green): 1,403

David Mackintosh (Conservative): 16,163

Kevin McKeever (Labour): 12,370

Kevin Willsher (Independent): 161

Turnout was 63.65%.

The Conservative party has held the Northampton South seat since Mr Binley won it in 2005. The Labour party held the seat from 1997 to 2005.

Mr Mackintosh has stood down from Northampton Borough Council. He has been leader of the borough council for the past four years. He still has a seat on Northamptonshire County Council.