Stephen O'Brien Conservative, 20,556 Bill Eyres Labour, 15,988 Paul Roberts Liberal Democrat, 6,975 David Carson, UK Independence 868
Majority 4,568 Turnout 44,387
1997 result: Stephen O'Brien was elected MP with majority of 1,185.
Conservatives received 42.5%, Labour 40.1%, Liberal Democrats 5.7%, Referendum Party 1.5% and others 1.4% of the vote on a turnout of 75.78%, from an electorate of 65,256.
