AS a wave of blue swept across Cornwall after Friday's General Election, Conservative Sheryll Murray said she was 'very moved' by her re-election to the South East Cornwall constituency with a landslide of votes.

Mrs Murray won her seat with 50.5% of the votes in an election which transformed the political landscape of Cornwall.

The Tories took the St Ives, North Cornwall and Newquay seats from the Liberal Democrats and Devon and Cornwall is now a sea of blue except the Exeter constituency which Ben Bradshaw won again for Labour.

Now sitting her second term as MP for South East Cornwall, Mrs Murray said: 'I would like to thank all those who voted for me last Thursday. I was very moved by the endorsement I was given by the people of this constituency. To receive over half the vote and an almost 17,000 majority was a very welcome approval and shows that hard work does pay off.

'I can assure everyone that I will continue to work hard and am available to my constituents.'

Mrs Murray also thanked her staff, who took time off to campaign, the many members of the local party who went out to support her, local residents who helped her and all those from the council who ensured the smooth running of the election.

'On Monday I met with our newly extended Conservative Parlia-mentary Party and the Prime Minister, who outlined some of the roles he has in cabinet. I was elected on a manifesto for working people which aims to create three million apprenticeships, provide more help with childcare, cut taxes for 30-million people, ensure people can get on the housing ladder, create millions more jobs and an in-out referendum on our future in Europe,' she said.

'With a majority Conservative Government it will be my job to ensure that this manifesto is carried out and that we get the best possible deal for South East Cornwall.

'An early item I will be fighting for is for better communications within our part of Cornwall. I want to see improvements to the A38, in particular the dangerous Looe turning, and will be asking what went wrong with the Dobwalls bypass.

'I will be pushing for Plymouth Airport and was pleased when the Chancellor announced a study prior to the election. I want to see improvements to our trains, in particular, so people can at least get a seat. I will also be pushing for better internet access and an end to the "not spots". The work begins.'

Sheryll Murray received 25,516 votes, with Liberal Democrat candidate Phil Hutty coming in second with 8.521 votes. UKIP's Bradley Monk was third with 7,698 votes, Labour's Declan Lloyd received 4,692 votes, Green Party candidate Martin Corney received 2,718 votes, Andrew Long for Mebyon Kernow received 1,003 votes and independent candidate George Trubody had 350 votes. The turnout of voters was 71.1%.

Throughout Thursday night candidates and their teams were gripped by events unfolding across the country as many South West seats, traditionally held in recent years by the Liberal Democrats — such as North Cornwall and North Devon — fell to the Conservatives.

In Plymouth, Labour's Alison Seabeck, who had been MP for ten years, also lost her seat to Conservative Johnny Mercer.

With 331 seats (up by 24) across the country, the Conservatives secured a majority Government. The Liberal Democrats won eight seats (down 49), Labour won 232 seats (down 26), SNP 56 (up 50), DUP 8, UKIP 1, Plaid Cymru 3 and the Green Party 1.