Conservative MP Neil Parish retains Honiton and Tiverton General Election seat

The Conservative MP for Honiton and Tiverton, Neil Parish, has kept his seat after being re-elected in yesterday's General Election with a majority of more than 24,000 votes.

Mr Parish competed for the seat against Labour's Liz Pole, Liberal Democrat John Timperley, Green Colin Reed and Ukip's Margaret Dennis.

THE RESULTS:

Conservative Party - Neil Parish: 35,893 votes.

Labour Party – Liz Pole: 11,654 votes.

Ukip – Margaret Dennis: 968 votes.

Turnout: 72.2%

At the last General Election in 2017 Neil Parish secured 34,471 votes, 61.4%. Runner-up, Labour's Caroline Kolek, attracted 15,670 votes, 27.1%

Neil Parish started out his political career in local politics before contesting a Labour seat in Torfaen, Wales, in 1997.

In 1999 Mr Parish was elected as an MEP to the European Parliament, representing the South West England region. He was re-elected to the European Parliament in 2004.

Throughout his time in the European Parliament he was a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Between January 2007 and July 2009 he was chairman of the committee.

In February 2007 Mr Parish was selected as the Conservative General Election candidate for Tiverton and Honiton. The seat was formerly held by Conservative Angela Browning.

He was elected as Member of Parliament for Tiverton and Honiton in May 2010.

Since being elected Parish has spent considerable time focusing on rural affairs, as a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and as chairman of parliamentary committees on Beef, Lamb, Pig and Poultry.

Mr Parish is married and has two children.