A delighted Craig Whittaker comfortably retained his Calder Valley seat.
The former Huddersfield PC World general manager worked incredibly hard to achieve his dream at the last general election and was determined to keep his crown this time around.
The father-of-three and former Rastrick councillor, 52, was up against the Labour Party’s Josh Fenton-Glynn who looked dejected after failing to overturn Whittaker’s 6,431 majority.
More than an hour and a half before the result was officially declared, former Calderdale Mayor, Geraldine Carter couldn’t disguise her emotions as she whispered to me: “He’s won and by a lot.”
Resplendent in a bright blue coat, Clr Carter, said: “In the last five years Craig has been an excellent constituency MP and has delivered on a regular basis.
“He really deserved to retain the seat. He has done a fantastic job.”
The signs had been there all evening with a cagey Tim Swift, group leader of Labour in Calderdale, only willing to say: “I think it will be very interesting though it is a very big ask for Josh to win it in one go but who knows.”
And former Calderdale Mayor, John Hardy, 71, (Cons), said: “My own personal view is that we will come out on top in both Halifax and Calder Valley.”
Other candidates standing in Calder Valley were: Paul Rogan, (UKIP), Jenny Shepherd, (Green), Alisdair Calder McGregor, (Lib Dems), Joe Stead, (World Peace Through Song), Rod Sutcliffe, (A Voice for the Region).
