Dawn was breaking today as Wantage MP Robert Jackson learned he had escaped the fate of so many of his Conservative colleagues in a second election night slaughter.

But his tenure of the seat he has held for the past 18 years is now a slimmer one, his majority having been slashed in two consecutive polls from 22,311 to a mere 5,600.

robert Jackson celebrates And for the second year running, it was Labour who were architects of the anti-Tory vote in the constituency, narrowly pushing Liberal Democrats into third place.

Labour candidate Stephen Beer polled a respectable 13,875 votes, while Neil Fawcett for the Liberal Democrats had 13,776 votes.

It was always predicted it would close, and on at least two occasions the two opposition candidates and their agents were called together at the close of the count to discuss the narrow margin between them.

The turn-out of just under 66 per cent was better than the national average but still well down on the 1997 turn-out which was almost 78 per cent. In his acceptance speech Mr Jackson thanked all his campaigners and also the other candidates and their supporters for making what he described as in interesting and enjoyable campaign.

He said the outcome of the election made it apparent that the country had "made up its mind some months ago to give Labour its second term".

But he added: "It was something of a grudging concession and I would say to the Labour party that now it has yet another massive majority but it is a conditional one.

"The real challenge over the next four years is going to see them have to carry through their policies."

He concluded: "I'd like to thank the people of Wantage."

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