SIR – I would like to sincerely thank the 21,766 voters who chose to re-elect me to serve the Keighley and Ilkley parliamentary constituency for another five years. I also assure those who did not support me that I will continue to work equally hard for them.

It was a long and exhausting campaign for everyone involved but always conducted in the best traditions of British democracy and fair play. For this, I would like to pay particular tribute to my opponents. They fought the election on the issues of greatest importance to local people and were a credit to their respective political parties. I wish each one of them well in the future.

Despite our successes since 2010, with unemployment in Keighley and Ilkley falling by more than 40%, wages going up and taxes going down for tens of thousands of people here, I know life continues to be tough for many individuals and families.

With a majority Conservative Government having now been elected, I look forward to devoting my energies towards securing more jobs and more investment for Keighley and Ilkley as we work to further rebalance our economy and continue to close the North-South gap.

Kris Hopkins, Member of Parliament for Keighley & Ilkley