THE people of West Oxfordshire voted with overwhelming gusto to re-elect David Cameron as their MP and Prime Minister on Thursday. After an election that featured strong campaigns by the smaller parties and opposition candidates in Witney, the result seemed surprising on one level.

Labour candidate Duncan Enright had set out his stall on local issues such as the A40 and housing developments.

National Health Action Party candidate Clive Peedell presented a case for championing the NHS and Ukip’s Simon Strutt and the Lib Dems' Andy Graham argued well at the pre-election debates.

Then there were the More controversial candidates such as Chris Tompson and Bobby Smith who turned many heads in Witney, one dressed as a character from Sesame Street, the other wielding a loud hailer for weeks in the High Street.

However on election night itself, it was noticeable how quiet the opposition parties had become. They opposition groups made a lot of noise during the campaign, but when it came down to it they were powerless to challenge a Conservative machine which was slick, well organised and which ultimately held on to power.