Medway turns a shade of blue

by Sarah Shaffi

The biggest win of the night in Medway's three constituencies came in Rochester and Strood.

The seat, vacated by Labour's Bob Marshall-Andrews, who has retired, was won by a majority of 9,953 by Conservative candidate Mark Reckless.

This is the third time Mr Reckless has stood for the seat, which he narrowly lost in 2005.

He thanked his opponents in his victory speech, particularly focusing the UKIP, whose candidate stood down to make way for Mr Reckless, a known Euro-sceptic.

Mr Reckless said: "Tonight the people have voted for change.

"We are fed up of being lied to, taken for granted, patronised and ignored. We know government, like all of us, has to live within its means.

"I'd like to thank Bob Marshall-Andrews for his 13 years of service as an MP. He has put his principles before promotion."

Labour candidate Teresa Murray, who got 13,651 votes to Mr Reckless"s 23,604, said the campaign had been good spirited.

Although in her concession speech she said the Labour party would be back, she revealed in an exclusive interview with the Medway Messenger she would not be standing for election as an MP again.

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