Delighted Glen wins city seat (From Salisbury Journal)

Delighted Glen wins city seat

5:40am Friday 7th May 2010 in

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JOHN GLEN has hung on to the Salisbury seat for the Conservatives with a much-reduced but still convincing majority of 5,966.

Immediately after the result was announced at the City Hall early this morning he paid tribute to Labour candidate Tom Gann for his "honest and principled campaign" but pointedly failed to praise Nick Radford, the Liberal Democrat who took second place with 17,893 votes to his 23,859.

Afterwards he accused the LibDems of having waged a negative campaign based on personal attacks rather than policies, and wrongly implying that he had no local roots.

Mr Radford, while disappointed with the outcome, said he had halved the previous majority won by Robert Key and the LibDems had captured the imagination of many new supporters.

"John was upset that I kept telling people he is not from Salisbury but I never lied," he said. "He didn't like me pointing out the truth, but that helped us increase our share of the vote.

"We can hold our heads high. We have started to show people that we can do well here."

Mr Radford could not confirm that he would contest the seat again, but said he wanted to remain involved in politics in Salisbury.

In his victory speech Mr Glen declared himself "absolutely thrilled and delighted that the people of Salisbury have put their faith in me."

He said: " I have fought a fair, honest and decent campaign."

And he paid tribute to Mr Key, who was the city's MP for 26 years, saying: "I recognise that I have very big shoes to fill, and to those of you who are disappointed this evening, I aim to earn your trust and respect in the years ahead.

"I want to the best MP you have had, committed to serving those who have voted for me and those who haven't."

Third-placed Labour won 3,960 votes, and UKIP candidate Frances Howard came fourth with 1,392.

The BNP's Sean Witheridge received 765 votes, beating Nick Startin of the Green Party on 506, King Arthur Pendragon on 257, and Independent John Holme, who had urged his supporters to switch to the Tories but still managed 119 votes.

Turnout was 48,530, or just under 72 per cent of the electorate, and more than 10,000 postal votes were cast.

Deputy acting returning officer Barry Pirie said: "It was a great turnout, and overall the count was very successful."

· Mr Glen will be following in Robert Key's footsteps by singing the traditional Wiltshire Regiment marching song, The Vly Be On The Turmut, from the balcony of the White Hart Hotel at noon today. He will be accompanied by musicians from the Cathedral School.