Hussain nets massive victory in Bradford East

Mr Hussain earned more than 10,00 votes than he did two years ago and said that the result was a massive sop to Theresa May’s Conservatives whom he said had “stripped” and “starved” Bradford at the expense of “leafy suburbs” elsewhere in the country.

After polling 29,841 votes he said: “Frankly for the past seven years we have had a Government that has stripped Bradford and starved Bradford.

“Out vital public services have been subjected to massive cuts, disproportionate to those in the leafy suburbs, putting our libraries, swimming pools and community centres under threat.

“Our A&E departments are turning people away. The shambles in social care is not treating our elderly with respect and dignity.

“These results show to Theresa May that we have had enough.

“Young people have come together in Bradford and across the country. Let us not play games with the lives of our young people. We must end this austerity.”

He also pledged to be a “fearless” defender for Bradford East.

The Lib Dems had a troubled campaign after it sacked its candidate David Ward just days into the election campaign.

Mr Ward, who held the seat between 2010 and 2015, had been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism following a series of comments deemed critical on Israel during his time as an MP and was even briefly suspended after one set of remarks.

He lost to Mr Hussain in the election two years ago and had been set to contest it again before leader Tim Farron bowed to pressure and removed him.

He stood as an independent polling 3,576 of the votes and remains a member of Bradford Council. He did not attend the final declaration.

Imran Hussain (Labour) 29, 841

Mark Trafford (Tories) 9,291

Mark Jewell (Lib Dems) 842

Jonathan Barras (UKIP) 1,372

Paul Parkins (Better for Bradford) 420

David Ward (Ind) 3,576

Andy Stafford (Greens) 269