NORMANTON, PONTEFRACT AND CASTLEFORD: Cooper pledges to make jobs her priority in new constituency

Ms Cooper, a Cabinet Minister, who is married to schools secretary Ed Balls, won 22,293 votes, leaving her with a majority of 10,979. This new constituency consists of parts of the abolished seat of Normanton and the old Pontefract and Castleford seat, and it was considered a safe Labour seat.

Nick Pickles, the Conservative candidate, polled 11,314 votes, with Chris Rush for the Liberal Democrats gaining 7,585 votes.

The BNP candidate, Graham Gordon Thewlis-Hardy polled 3,864 votes – 8.3 per cent – with Independent Gareth Allen polling 1,183 votes.

Yesterday Mr Pickles said: "It's been a really good swing for us – 12.5 per cent from Labour to Conservative."

The percentage turnout in the constituency was 56.4 per cent.

Ms Cooper, who is Work and Pensions Secretary, said throughout her campaign her top priority was to tackle unemployment. She said her aims included getting regeneration schemes like the stalled Pontefract Prince of Wales colliery moving and increasing the jobs available for 18-24-year-olds.

"I love working for this area. I also feel really strongly that we need to keep investing in jobs here," she said during her election campaign.

Pontefract and Castleford was dominated in the twentieth century by Labour, electing a succession of local miners.

The seat of Normanton was formerly within a separate constituency of the same name. It was held by Ms Cooper's husband, Ed Balls, at the last election in 2005.