A new MP for Wanstead, and a new home too

So how will John Cryer be spending his first weekend as MP for Leyton and Wanstead? Going to estate agents, possibly.

Speaking after his victory yesterday, he said that he planned now to move to the constituency after his “temporary” break from living in east London – he has been living near East Grinsted in East Sussex. He told the Wanstead Guardian, though, that he had not decided when he would do so.

Suggestions for houses for sale in Wanstead suitable for a member of Parliament are welcome. Wansteadium is happy to collate suggestions and forward them to Mr Cryer. (NB. Woodcote Road suggestions will probably not go down too well.)

Speaking about the result, he said:

In terms of the national picture, I think if you told many Labour party members what [the] result was going to be I think we would be very pleased. We have come back from being deeply unpopular.”

Meanwhile, second-placed Lib Dem candidate Farooq Qureshi, who was frequently criticised for having a low profile in Wanstead, conceded the point, saying:

“It was a very high turnout, because of that we failed to narrow the gap. I think it’s also because we haven’t done any work in Wanstead and Snaresbrook. Over the years we haven’t managed to get any presence in Snaresbrook.”

And Ed Northover, Conservative, who came third despite ambitious campaigning, said:

“Though I strongly disagree with John Cryer I think he is a very decent man.”

Other reactions from around the web:

@si_ling Snaresbrook and Wanstead – all 6 tories – no surprises there

@wrongtothetom leyton & wanstead: 561 BNP, 1080 UKIP, 8928 cons… thank god wanstead isn’t a constituency in it’s own right

@PAllen Only about 500 Nazi voters in Leyton & Wanstead, 1 more vote than greens. Christians trailed in with 342 – praise be!

@leejamesbrown RT @politic_animal: Very good news that John Cryer is elected in Leyton & Wanstead. < Great days

@vikisinden Lab holds: Leyton & Wanstead. Unsurprising but hooray nonetheless. Don’t think I’ve lived in a Lab const before.

@massegrande BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Leyton & Wanstead http://goo.gl/ovvm I really need to move, now!

General election result in full:
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