Heidi Allen holds South Cambridgeshire for Conservatives with more than 50 per cent of votes

Conservative Heidi Allen has retained her South Cambridgeshire seat with 33,631 votes.

She retained her majority, winning 51.8 per cent of the vote, up slightly from 51.11 per cent, in 2015.

Labour’s Dan Greef took 17,679, (27.2 per cent up from 17.65 per cent), Susan van de Ven managed 12,102 (18.6 per cent up from 15.22 per cent) and the Green’s Simon Saggers fell to just 1,512 (2.3 per cent down from 6.25 per cent).

Ms Allen said: “I’m not a chicken counter in life and the political world has been very different since Brexit so I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t expect my vote share to go up so I’m delighted by that.”

After being confirmed as MP for South Cambs she praised the other candidates for the campaigns they had run, and the amicable way the South Cambridgeshire campaign had been conducted by all parties.

She said: “Politicians can be from different parties and still be courteous. We’re all interested in South Cambridgeshire and that is the single most important thing.

“I promise to keep my independence in mind. To be a modern Conservative politician.”

The re-elected MP celebrated with her supporters by visiting McDonald’s.

But she acknowledged what was a bad night for the party, tweeting: “We HAVE to change.”

Labour’s Dan Greef has made some significant gains in South Cambridgeshire. He’s putting it down to the party’s manifesto, which he said was clear and positive.

“There’s a difference from to years ago - this year there were two parties who were really set apart.”

He said new towns like Cambourne and the families that are attracted to them have connected with the Labour message, and thinks that satellite towns such as Northstowe will only close the gap in years to come.

He said: “I started this campaign saying that Britain deserved better than a hard Tory Brexit, it appears the voters agreed and I urge Heidi and all her colleagues to work for an exit from the EU that is in Britain’s interest.

“We are supposed to start Brexit talks in 11 days - who is going to be leading those negations?

“On the doorstep I have heard time and again how people in South Cambridgeshire care deeply for our public services and don’t trust the Tories with our NHS, our children’s education and with the social care of our elderly.

“Regardless of which way you have voted at this election and what happens over the next days, weeks and months, I will stand by the value that in Britain we have the potential be a nation for the many, not the few.”

South Cambridgeshire 2017 General Election result

Heidi Allen - Conservative - 33,631 (51.80%) - Elected

Daniel Greef - Labour - 17,679 (27.23%)

Susan van de Ven - Liberal Democrats - 12,102 (18.64%)

Simon Saggers - Green 1,512 (2.33%)

Total votes - 64,924

Electorate - 85,257

Number of ballot papers rejected - 166