BERNARD Jenkin’s lengthy career in the Houses of Parliament is to continue after he won a resounding victory in Harwich and North Essex constituency.

The veteran Conservative won a total of 23,001 votes, leaving him with a majority of 11,447.

He was followed by Lib Dem James Raven, who scored 11,554 votes, with Labour candidate Darren Barrenger in third, with 9,774 votes.

Predictions that Mr Jenkin could be in trouble because of his expenses repayments were unfounded, as 190 more people voted for him in 2010 than in 2005.

He said: "It's a great honour for me to be re-elected for the new constituency of Harwich and North Essex.

"I'm extremely grateful to the voters of this constituency for putting their trust in me and for putting their trust in a change of Government for this country.

He said: "This election is about change, and there is clearly a change in the politics of this country.

"Not such a change as some would have led us to believe.

"There has not been the great groundswell of Liberal Democrat support throughout the country that the polls anticipated."

This is Mr Jenkin’s fifth election win in a row in his north Essex seat, which has variously been called Colchester North, North Essex and Harwich and North Essex.

Asked if his expenses repayments totaling £36,250 had been an issue on the doorstep, he said: “Understandably yes. This has been an opportunity for all my supporters to demonstrate that there was no impropriety in my case.

“Most people have been ready to accept that.

“The most important issue has been immigration, but I have put the national debt at the centre of my doorstep campaign."

The region saw a rise in turnout, up from 66 per cent in 2005 to 69.4 per cent this year.

UKIP candidate Simon Anselmi, standing in his first General Election campaign, said he was pleased with the support he had won on Mersea Island Meanwhile Chris Fox for the Greens and independent candidate Peter Bates were both pleased with their campaigns.

One candidate who did not attend the count was BNP’s Steve Robey, who suffered a heart attack.