SKIPTON AND RIPON: Historically safe seat lives up to its reputation

The historically safe Tory seat of Skipton and Ripon was won by Mr Smith with 50.6 per cent of the vote – a marginal increase upon the notional majority won by the previous MP, David Curry, in 2005. Mr Curry stepped down this year.

Mr Smith won 27,685 votes in the constituency – nearly 10,000 ahead of his nearest rival.

Selected in an open primary from a large shortlist of more than 150 budding candidates to contest the seat, Mr Smith faced criticism during the campaign over what his opponents claimed was a lack of links to the area.

While not born in the constituency, his parents were and he has homes in both Gargrave near Skipton and in London.

Speaking following the verdict Mr Smith said he said he was delighted with the victory.

He told his supporters that the campaign's success had been hard work and that he had never worked harder than he had done on the election trail.

A strong showing in second place came from Liberal Democrat candidate Helen Flynn who increased her party's share of the voting by more than five per cent on 2005's notional majority.

Mrs Flynn said the result was the result was the "best result in a long time" that the local party had won.

"We are thrilled with the result. We knew it would not be easy but we definitely see this as a winnable seat. We are now going to be focused and prepared for the next one in five years time."

Also contesting the seat were Bernard Allen from the BNP, Dylan Gilligan from the Youth Party, Robert Leakey from the Virtual Currency Cognitive Appraisal Party, Rodney Mills from UKIP and Roger Bell, standing as an independent.