Labour vote shares in Essex

Constituency	2010 vote %	2015 vote %	Improvement
Chelmsford	11.0	17.6	6.6
Southend West	13.4	18.3	4.9
Rochford and Southend East	20.3	24.7	4.4
Colchester	12.3	16.2	3.9
Brentwood and Ongar	9.9	12.5	2.6
Saffron Walden	9.7	11.8	2.1
Epping Forest	14.3	16.1	1.8
Basildon and Billericay	23.0	23.7	0.7
Harwich and North Essex	19.9	19.7	-0.2
Castle Point	14.7	13.8	-0.9
Maldon	12.7	11.8	-0.9
Braintree	19.9	18.5	-1.4
Rayleigh and Wickford	14.5	12.6	-1.9
Witham	18.5	15.8	-2.7
Harlow	33.7	30.0	-3.7
Thurrock	36.6	32.6	-4.0
South Basildon and East Thurrock	31.0	25.2	-5.8
Clacton	25.0	14.4	-10.6

This table lists the eighteen Essex Parliamentary constituencies, ordered by the percentage improvement in the Labour vote.

I could have ordered this table in quite a number of ways, but I am proud of managing the second best jump in vote share in Essex, and delighted that Labour is now second in Southend West. Whilst it is some distance from being a marginal, we are now the main challenger here – and there is more anti-Tory vote to squeeze.

I am aware that very campaign has its own story, and of the incredible amount of work put in by candidates and their teams.

I would suggest that the priority seats remain those with the largest absolute vote share. This means, in order, Thurrock, Harlow, South Basildon and East Thurrock. The two Southend seats are fourth and eighth.

For me the story of the 2015 elections and the Labour campaign is best summarised by looking at Clacton. It seems obvious to me that Labour was leaking more support to UKIP than had been previously acknowledged.