CONSERVATIVE Matthew Hancock has been named the new MP for West Suffolk.

The father-of-two won the traditional Tory safe seat with a total of 24,312 votes.

Belinda Brooks-Gordon, Liberal Democrat, came second with 11,262 votes while Labour hopeful Ohid Ahmed came third with 7,089.

A total of 48,130 people cast their votes in the hotly-contested election, which had a turnout of 64.7 per cent.

Speaking after his victory, Mr Hancock pledged to voice the concerns of his new constituents when he takes his seat in the House of Commons.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be elected as the MP for West Suffolk,” he said after his victory was announced.

“I would like to think the electorate has put their trust in me and I hope to repay that trust.”

Mr Hancock, 31, replaces former West Suffolk Conservative MP Richard Spring, who retired having been in Parliament since 1992.

Speaking after his win, Mr Hancock said he was thrilled to have increased Mr Spring’s majority by more than 14 per cent.

“With the high regard for Richard Spring from everyone I met on the doorstep, I’m also thrilled to have been elected with an increased majority,” he said. “I want to work tirelessly for West Suffolk and put your views forward.”

A former chief of staff under George Osborne, Mr Hancock thanked his team and his wife Martha, whom he called his rock.

“More than anything, I am a family man,” he said. “Martha and I and our children love living here in West Suffolk.”

Ian Smith, UK Independence Party candidate won 3,085 votes while Ramon Johns, standing for the BNP, walked away with 1,428.

Independent candidate Andrew Appleby gathered 540 votes and Colin Young for the Christian People’s Alliance won 373.