Tory candidate Adam Holloway was re-elected as he extended his majority by more than 2,000 votes.

As his party made huge gains on the night, the safe seat of Gravesham rarely looked in doubt.

Mr Holloway, who has held the seat since 2005, increased his majority to 29,580 votes, with Labour's Lauren Sullivan finishing second, tallying 15,581 fewer votes.

The result was declared shortly after 4am but had threatened to take longer after the Tory nipped home to "get dressed".

Lib Dem Ukonu Obasi came third with 2,584 and Green's Marna Gilligan fourth with 1,397.

There were 47,560 votes in total, with 174 rejected. Around one third were postal votes.

Speaking after the result, Mr Holloway, a member of lobby group Leave Means Leave, said the result had a lot "less to do with" him and more to do with Brexit.

"The British people were given a choice, they made a choice and the political class and much of the media chose to deny it," he said.

"The people here are not stupid," he said.

"Even though I'm for Brexit, if the people had voted to remain I would have respected that.

"The will of the 64.5% of people in Gravesham who voted to leave was neglected."

He said the UK's departure from the EU was an "amazing opportunity" and urged the incoming Conservative government to use its "massive majority" to "get it right".

Asked earlier in the night what he would do if relected, he responded: "I love about 98% of my constituents."

On local issues, he said he had been "good on street homelessness" and said mental health was often neglected when examining the issue.

If returned to Parliament he pledged to tackle the wider aspects of the issue, rather than just housing.

"It's not always about throwing money at the problem," he said.

Polling was highest in The Meadow Rooms, Cobham, where turnout was 80%.

It was lowest in Northfleet central with just 46% of eligible voters turning out.

Northfleet North councillor and Labour candidate Lauren Sullivan had a disappointing night as the party's vote share slipped by nearly 4,000 votes.

She thanked her team, which she said had helped her run a "fantastic, positive campaign".

She admitted it had been "quite different" compared to local campaigns, adding it was not always easy to "sell parts" of her parties' manifesto as "positive".

As a doctor she said the number one issue she was quizzed on was the "NHS and understaffed schools".

Lib Dem Ukonu Obasi said it "had been tough" but thanked his campaign team and all those who had voted for him.

Green Party candidate Marna Gilligan said she felt "really mixed" on the night.

While she felt her party's campaign had "put climate change on the agenda" she was bitterly disappointed a Tory majority would deliver what she called a "heavy Brexit".

The campaigner pledged to repair the UK's broken political system which she said had forced people to vote tactically.

"I spoke to people who said they would like to vote Green but said they couldn't," she said.

To see who was elected in Gravesham in 2017, click here.

For all other General Election news, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend