THE results of the Parliamentary Election for St Helens North were:

John Beirne (Lib Dems) 6,270

David Johnson (Referendum) 1,276

Richard Rudin (UK Independence) 363

Pelham Walker (Con) 8,536

Dave Watts (Lab) 31,953

Ronald Waugh (Socialist Lab) 833.

Labour majority: 23,417.

Voting turnout: 79 per cent

Conservative swing to Labour: 9.05

John Evan's majority for Labour in 1992: 16,244.

RESULTS of the Parliamentary Election for St Helens South were:

Gerry Bermingham (Lab) 30,367

William Holdaway (Referendum) 1,165

Harriet Jump (Natural Law) 179

Mary Russell (Con), 6,628

Brian Spencer (Lib Dem) 5,919.

Labour majority: 23,739.

Voting turnout: 72 per cent

Conservative swing to Labour: 8.55.

Gerry Bermingham's majority in1992 was 18,309

St Helens North MP, Dave Watts, said after his triumph: "I would like to thank all the people of St Helens and Newton for their support and say that I will serve all people to my utmost ability regardless of their political persuasions.' The new MP enjoyed a majority of 23,417.

"I am personally delighted to win with such a substantial majority in my first bid to be an MP. "Obviously I am pleased to be following in the footsteps of John Evans who has done such magnificent work for the past 20 years.

"Tony Blair will do a great job for this country. The important priorities include getting young people back to work and putting more resources back into the NHS. Our policies are clear and I shall work enthusiastically to bring the much needed changes for the betterment of all the people in the Borough and in the United Kingdom." Pelham Walker, defeated Conservative candidate, said: "St Helens North Conservatives are very pleased to have been able to maintain their position as the town's main opposition party to Labour and on a personal note I would like to thank all the people who voted for me."

John Beirne, defeated Liberal Democrat candidate, said: "I am pleased at our share of the vote holding up in St Helens despite a Labour landslide across the country.

"Liberal Democrats in the town are celebrating the fact that the party has increased its seats at Westminster up to 47 (their highest ever total).

"It's now up to this Labour government to sort out the mess of the grants system (SSA) which resulted in St Helens townspeople facing huge increases in Council Tax bills this year.

"We will be calling on this Labour government as a priority to re-address the under-funding from central government.

"Liberal Democrats had a positive campaign which will lead us into the local elections next year, campaigning on issues which effect local people and making their views known.

"The Labour Party has made promises we don't intend to let them break."

David Johnson, defeated Referendum Party candidate, said: "I wish to thank the 1276 voters of St Helens North who put country above party and supported the Referendum Party at the General Election.

"Be assured that we will press the new Government to let the people decide the important issues concerning Europe."

ST HELENS SOUTH MP, Gerry Bermingham, who saw his majority swell to 23,739, said: "I am absolutely delighted with the support I have received in St Helens. I shall get to work to see that we get all the help we need in re-building St Helens, and I am sure I will be greatly supported by my Labour colleague Dave Watts.

"I would also like to say thanks to my agent John Ireland and his family for all their help and support during my campaign."

Mary Russell, defeated St Helens South Conservative candidate said: "I would like to thank all my supporters as I am delighted with the support I have received throughout the campaign, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

"I was quite happy to see that the swing to Labour was pretty respectable at 8.55 per cent and that the number of people voting for Labour was virtually the same as 1992. I also noted that less people voted for the Liberal Democrats than the last election."

"I would also like to wish the new government well for the sake of all the country."

Brian Spencer, defeated Liberal Democrat candidate, said: "I would like to thank all the people who voted for me and was pleased to see that we came within a few hundred votes of pushing the Conservatives into third place.

"Nationally it was a good show, with the Liberal Democrats gaining a number of important seats."

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