| Distraught Paul Fox said Labour supporters
who backed James Gray in protest against the government might
have cost his party vital votes. He said: "If you spend
a long time in an election campaign trying to win and don't
win you do feel disappointed. But if you look at the results
we did get more votes than four years ago. Personally I would
like to do this all over again but the choice of candidate
for Chippenham next time is a matter for the local Liberal
Democrats."
Labour candidate David Nash said he was pleased with the
amount of support his party received making third place. He
said: "Having got a taste for electioneering I will be
hoping to stand in a safer seat in four years time. It's been
fun meeting people and putting forward the message that people
are genuinely better off under Labour."
The UK Independence Party increased their share of the north
Wiltshire vote by 30 per cent. Neil Dowdney said: "It
was shame Europe has been kept off the agenda for large parts
of the election but I look forward to doing this all again
when Tony Blair calls a referendum on the European Constitution.
We've had a lot of support. We are a small party but lots
of parties start off small and then build. I shall continue
working to build up UKIP support in north Wiltshire."
Independent Philip Allnatt said he would retire from politics
after losing his deposit with less than one per cent of the
vote. The results of the north Wiltshire vote were declared
at 4.15am on Friday.
Acting Returning Officer Bob Marshall revealed a turnout
of 69.6 per cent and 56,281 votes had been cast. More than
100 people helped count thousands of votes from 91 ballot
boxes in the sports hall at The Olympiad Leisure Centre, Chippenham.
The earliest ballot box arrived from Wiltshire College at
10.13pm and the last votes reached the counting room at 11.31pm
from Sopworth.
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