GRAHAM Jones has successfully seen off the threat of a wealthy Conservative candidate and the surge of UKIP to increase his majority in Hyndburn and hold onto his seat.

The 49-year-old former printer took the stage at the historic Accrington Town Hall shortly after 4am to thank the 18,076 people who voted for him - up from 17,531 five years ago.

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And while at one point both Tory hopeful Kevin Horkin and UKIP candidate Janet Brown were neck and neck, it was the former Ribble Valley mayor Mr Horkin who eventually eased into second place with 13,676 votes.

UKIP received 9,154, a huge increase over its 2010 total of just 1,481, despite candidate Janet Brown missing three public debates in recent weeks, which she blamed on work commitments and the death of her mother Barbara on April 2.

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The Green Party’s Kerry Gormley, who had boldly claimed her party would see the biggest gains received 1,122 votes, almost triple the 463 five years ago, but still not quite what she had predicted.

She said: “I’m sad to say Hyndburn UKIP may have stolen our thunder. The Green Party is 40 plus years old. I doubt UKIP’ll last even one decade.”

The ultimate loser on the night, like elsewhere, were the Liberal Democrats. 

Hopeful Alison Firth, running her first campaign in Hyndburn, admitted she was putting on a ‘brave face’ as she took just 859 votes - losing her deposit in the process.

And despite social media bursting at the seams with users urging an end to voter apathy, the turnout in Hyndburn was actually slightly lower at 63.21 per cent than it was five years ago, when it was 63.5 per cent.

 

Graham Jones Labour 18,076
Kevin Horkin Conservative 13,676
Janet Brown UK Independence Party 9,154
Kerry Gormley Green 1,122
Alison Firth Liberal Democrat 859


MAJORITY
4,400
(10.3%)


TURNOUT
62.8%
(42,887)

 

See all the action from the counts in our General Election Gallery http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/photos/2015_photos/general_election_2015_results/