The new MP for North Norfolk cracked on with his constituency work within hours of his victory over his Tory rival. 

Liberal Democrat Steffan Aquarone beat Conservative Duncan Baker by 2,585 votes to win the North Norfolk seat.

It marked a significant swing from 2019, when Mr Baker won with 58.6pc of the vote.

But after a long, sleepless night at the count in North Walsham, Mr Aquarone has already got to work - writing to the region's NHS chiefs and water firms on a mission to overhaul rural health services and end sewage spills. 

Steffan Aquarone has been elected the new MP for North NorfolkSteffan Aquarone has been elected the new MP for North Norfolk (Image: Owen Sennitt)

"What a night," Mr Aquarone said. 

"We've been campaigning for two years for this election so we've been well exposed to the fact that health services, sewage and the cost of living were the key issues for people and we were able to campaign on those issues.

"Health is the number one issue as we have an NHS that is on its knees nationally.

"I have already written today to the chief executive of the Norfolk and Waveney NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), which commissions health services here. We urgently need to rethink how rural heath services are being provided. 

"I've also written today to the chief executive of Anglian Water because I want to meet them face-to-face the first day that I can. This is where the job begins."

Former Tory MP Mr Baker said he was "bitterly disappointed" to have lost the seat, which he took from Lib Dem Sir Norman Lamb in 2019. 

Duncan Baker speaking after the resultDuncan Baker speaking after the result (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Mr Aquarone said: "There was also so much positive feeling towards Norman Lamb still, so when he endorsed me with such sincerity I think that made a huge difference to people who might not have otherwise known which way to vote.

"Duncan and I disagree on many things, but I can only recognise that he has been a very hardworking MP, who has been both accessible and present.

"To be up against someone who had a local reputation made it a really tough fight, but I think it's about campaigning on the issues that matter to people.

"We went out and listened, and what they really wanted to know is what we are going to do about our rural health services and how will stop sewage in the sea."

Mr Baker said he was "bitterly disappointed" to have lost.

"Politics is a brutal game but I wish Steff all the best," he added.

Tory MP Ralph Howell kept his seat for seven constituencies between 1970 and 1992.

In 2001, Norman Lamb took the seat for the Lib Dems and held it until 2019.