Labour loses Reading West seat to Conservatives

Conservative Alok Sharma won after the previous Labour MP retired

The previously safe Labour seat of Reading West has been lost to the Conservatives after former MP Martin Salter retired.

Alok Sharma won the seat with a 6,004 majority over Labour's Naz Sarkar.

The Tories now hold seven of the eight seats in Berkshire, retaining Reading East, Bracknell, Newbury, Windsor, Maidenhead and Wokingham.

However Labour's Fiona MacTaggart held on to a 5,523 majority over Conservative Diana Coad in Slough.

In Bracknell, Conservative Phillip Lee won after former Tory MP Andrew Mackay stood down following the expenses scandal.

Mr Lee increased the Tories' hold on the constituency with a 15,704 majority over the Liberal Democrats.

Second home expenses

Mr MacKay decided not to stand for election after it emerged he and his wife Julie Kirkbride, the former Bromsgrove MP, both claimed second home allowances which were deemed to be inappropriate.

Conservative Alok Sharma won in Reading West after Martin Salter, who had been the area's MP since 1997, retired.

In Reading East, Rob Wilson increased the Conservatives' lead, taking their majority over the Lib Dems to 7,605 votes. Labour came a close third.

Conservative Theresa May, shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, held on to the Maidenhead seat with 31,937 votes - a 16,769 majority over the Lib Dems.

Fellow Conservative John Redwood kept his seat in Wokingham, polling 28,754 - a 13,492 majority, also over the Lib Dems.

In Newbury, the Tories' Richard Benyon held his seat with 33,057 votes - a 56.4% share and a majority of 12,248 over the Lib Dems.

Meanwhile in Windsor Adam Afriyie retained the seat he has held since 1997 with a 19,054 majority - again, beating the Lib Dems into second place.