Mel Stride retains Central Devon seat

The Conservative Party has retained its hold on Central Devon, with Mel Stride securing his position as Member of Parliament by a thin margin. 

Mr Stride won with 16,831 votes, narrowly edging out Labour's Ollie Pearson, who received 16,770 votes, marking a victory by just 61 votes.

Mr Stride, who has represented Central Devon since his initial election in 2010, continues his tenure in Parliament. 

His political journey began with a significant win in the 2010 general election, where he captured 51.5 percent of the vote and a majority of 9,230. 

Over the years, Mr Stride's prominence within the Conservative Party has grown.

Mr Stride's career highlights include his appointment as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, John Hayes, in October 2011. 

His subsequent re-election in 2015 saw him secure 52.2 percent of the vote, with a substantial majority of 21,265, leading to his promotion to the frontbench as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury.

In 2016, following Theresa May's appointment as Prime Minister, Mr Stride was named Comptroller of the Household, further solidifying his status within the party.

The snap general election in 2017 presented another test, with Mr Stride emerging victorious once again, this time with 54.1 percent of the vote, though his majority decreased to 15,680.

The 2019 general election reaffirmed Mr Stride's stronghold on Central Devon, as he achieved a 55.3 percent vote share and an increased majority of 17,721.

The rest of the votes go as follows:

• Ollie Pearson, Labour - 16,770
• Mark Wooding, Lib Dem - 8,232
• Jeffrey Leeks, Reform - 7,784
• Gill Westcott, Green - 3,338
• Arthur Price, Independent - 477