IN the first election since his extra marital affair came to light James Gray was re-elected as MP for North Wiltshire.

At the count in Malmesbury's Activity Zone leisure centre the Conservatives increased their share of the vote to 52 per cent and increased his majority to 7,473.

After the result was announced Mr Gray condemned the Liberal Democrat campaign which questioned Mr Gray's character and judgement by highlighting his extra marital affair with Philippa Mayo while his wife, Ann Beale was fighting breast cancer.

Mr Gray said the result had shown the people of North Wiltshire had rejected those attacks. He said: "Their campaign focused on my personal life and tried to smear me.

"But the fact that my majority has increased and I have won a greater percentage of the vote shows that it has not had an affect.

"In fact I think it has backfired on them and has shown how weak the Liberal Democrat campaign has been."

But Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Evemy, who finished third in the Swindon North seat in the 2005 election, defended the approach.

He said: "I have absolutely no regrets, we ran a very strong campaign.

"When people are electing their MP they need to know about the person's character and judgement.

"He chose to put his private life into the public eye by talking about his wife's illness at a hustings event in Chippenham."

Mr Gray said his next priority was to form a Conservative government and fight to save RAF Lyneham.

He said: "It is a very great honour to win by a large majority and more than 50 per cent of the vote.

"It is wonderful to be part of the Conservative party which will hopefully form a new government.

He put his victory down to the voter's desire for a new government.

He said: "I hope part of it is due to me having 13 years of working for the constituency.

"But I think it is because people have had enough of a Labour government and want to see change."

Result: Philip Allnatt Independent 208 Charles Bennett UKIP 1908 Phil Chamberlain Green 599 Mike Evemy Liberal Democrat 17631 James Gray Conservative 25114 Jason Hughes Labour 3239