IT has not all been plain sailing in Devizes Constituency since Claire Perry declared she would not be standing in the General Election.

There were resignations after Tory party head office went against the wishes of former constituency party chairman Brigadier Peter Sharpe and overlooked potential local candidates.

But on Thursday evening new boy Danny Kruger, son of Bake Off judge Prue Leith, brought home the bacon when he took victory with 32,150 votes leaving Lib Dem Jo Waltham trailing in his wake with 8,157 votes, Labour’s Rachael Schneider Ross on 7,838 and Green Emma Dawnay on 2,809.

Mr Kruger said after the count: “I am delighted, honoured and exhausted. Thank you everyone who supported me. I will be the MP for everyone here and work to bring our community and our country together again after Brexit is done.

In the last seat to declare in Wiltshire he scooped the biggest share of the vote.

He said: ““I am quite surprised with the size of our majority, but I am very grateful. To the people that voted for me, I promise to do everything I can to repay your trust, and to the people that did not vote for me, please know, I want to be an MP for everyone.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has worked hard through this long night, also all the staff and volunteers at the polling stations – I had the pleasure of visiting every single one of them today. I was hugely impressed by the dedication.

“I’d like to thank my fellow candidates – its been pleasure to compete with you.

“Our country has decided to reject division, and move forward together as one country. Every MP elected into this parliament has one imperitive - to restore trust in this country.”

Lib Dem candidate Jo Waltham said she was sad that Lib Dem leader Jo Swindon had lost her seat. She said: “I am very saddened that Jo has lost her seat, and by such a small margin.”