Well Done To My Friends (A-D)

Over the past few years I have visited many local Conservative Associations, helping them raise money for their candidates. Most have been in marginal seats. I have only just got around to looking through the individual results, so I thought I'd share a few comments about the seats I have been to or friends of mine were standing in.

Aberconwy
Guto Bebb is one of eight Welsh Tory MPs. He has a majority of 3,398, which must be way beyond his expectations. I spoke at a dinner in his constituency about a year ago and had a fabulous time. I'm proud to have contributed in a small way to his victory.

Barking
My friend Simon Macus wasn't selected until pretty late on - mid 2009 I think, but he did a fantastic job in maintaining the fight against the BNP. Maybe the fact that he is a skinhead helped! He increased the Tory vote by 2,000 and ensured that Nick Griffin came third. A real achievement and he deserves accolades from the party leadership.

Basildon South & East Thurrock
I didn't get to help there in any way but Stephen Metcalfe was a superb candidate. He is a small businessment aand there aren't enough of those in the House of Commons. He did well to beat the popular Angela Smith and did even better to get a majority of close on 6,000.

Mid Bedfordshire
Nadine Dorries increased her majority from 11,000 to 15,152. Well done her. After the abuse she has suffered from people not fit to lick her books, I was delighted at her result.

Bexhill & Battle
Stuart Wheeler stood here against Greg Barker. He lost his deposit. Good. He is now a spent force and hopefully his bizarre interventions will now be ignored by the media.

Bournemouth West
Conor Burns had a hard time of it in Eastleigh and I was delighted when he was selected in Bournemouth West. I know it hasn't been easy for him there, especially with the Butterfill legacy but he has triumphed with a 5,500 majority. He will keep the torch of Thatcherism burning!

Bracknell
The one that got away! Philip Lee has now got a massive majority of 15,700 and I really wish him well in his Commons career. I'd say he was a shoo-in as a health minister in the first Cameron reshuffle (if all goes to plan over the next couple of days!).

Broadland
Keith Simpson is one of my best friends so I was delighted to see him increase his majority by 40% to more than 7,200. The LibDem challenge was held off, despite a vast reduction in the Labour vote. I spent a few days helping his campaign and it was good to campaign again in Norfolk. Even my intervention couldn't prevent him winning!

Burton
Burton was the last fundraiser I did before the election. Andrew Griffiths is a very impressive guy and will be a fantastic MP. He has a very dedicated local association, who clearly thought the world of him.

Camborne & Falmouth
This was one of the results which have me most satisfaction. I'm glad to see the back of Julia Goldsworthy after the truly disgusting campaign she fought in 2005 against my friend Ashley Crossley. She was always a bit above herself and made few friends among LibDems. George Eustice is one of politics' nice guys.

Chatham & Aylesford
Tracey Crouch has worked her pert little ass off in this seat, and she fully deserves her 6,000 majority. She beat one of Labour's nicer MPs, Jonathan Shaw. I spoke at a dinner for her a couple of years ago and have also done a little canvassing and leafletting with her. A possible star of the future.

Copeland
I was at university with Chris Whiteside and I truly hoped he would pull through this time, having fought the seat in 2005. But it wasn't to be. He moved his family there when he was selected in 2003 and has put in a huge amount of effort, but for no reward.

Corby
Lousie Bagshawe has endured torrid time at the hands of the media but she has always kept smiling. Her enthusiasm is contagious and I predict she will be a rising star of the new intake.

Croydon Central
With former MP Andrew Pelling standing as an Independent Gavin Barwell must have been worried that he could split the Tory vote. Despite Pelling getting more than 3,200 votes, Gavin won with a majority of nearly 3,000. He'll be a great addition to the Commons.

Dagenham & Rainham
Simon Jones fought a fantastic campaign here and I really thought he might pull it off, but it wasn't to be. He had great support from his local association and the even I spoke at there in 2007 was one of the best fundraisers I have been to. Simon is one of my closest friends and I must admit my eyes moistened when I saw his result live on TV, just as I was leaving LBC. He looked totally bereft. His day will come.

Dartford
When I saw the size of Gary Johnson's majoriy (more than 10,000) I knew that the Tories would win all the North Kent marginals. And so it proved. I spoke for Gary earlier in the year at a Chinese restaurant in Dartford - evn though I hate Chinese food. The sacrifices I make, eh? Well done to him and his team. An 11.6% swing was truly magnificent.

Dulwich & West Norwood
Kemi Adegoke was never going to beat Tessa Jowell but she put up a damned good fight. I spoke at a fantastic fundraiser for her in central London last year. There must have been 200 people there and it raised a huge amount. However, the changing demographics of the constituency were against her. I think she will be a star of the future.