LEEDS ROUND-UP: Loyal core helps Benn and brings female touch

The party comfortably held Leeds West, a patch of Labour heartland taking in Armley and Kirkstall which was being vacated by departing party stalwart John Battle, who had held the seat since 1987.

The new Labour MP, Rachel Reeves, is a 31-year-old economist from London who has been widely tipped as a rising star of the party.

She spoke of her pride at becoming Leeds's first woman MP in more than a generation.

But Labour's vast majority was nearly halved to around 7,000, with the Liberal Democrats enjoying a hefty boost in the polls in a seat which was once held for the party by the son of 19th century Liberal Prime Minister William Gladstone.

There were no surprises either in the Leeds Central result, where Labour minister Hilary Benn was returned for the fourth time with a majority of more than 10,000 votes.

The Environment Secretary said that he was delighted with an increased turnout and said Labour's task now was to "protect the achievements of the past 13 years, of which we are proud".

He added: "Once again the voters have placed their trust in me and I will do my best to repay that trust over the months and years ahead.

"The people of Leeds Central need a government that is on their side as they seek to overcome poverty, to improve their lives.

"And the fact they have voted in larger numbers today shows we do have faith in the capacity of our politics to transform the world in which we live."

It was a similar story in Leeds East, where Labour veteran George Mudie was comfortably returned for a fifth term with a majority of more than 10,000.