PM now married to MP as Kinnock wins seat in UK election

Son of the former Labour leader wins safe seat with a decisive majority

Stephen Kinnock, the British husband of Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, has won his seat at Westminster following a convincing victory in his constituency in what was otherwise a disappointing general election for Labour.

READ MORE: Stephen Kinnock: The rise of the Red Prince

Kinnock, who ran in Aberavon in Wales in what was considered a safe Labour seat, won more than 15,000 votes, a long way ahead of his nearest rival, UKIP’s Peter Bush, who received just 4,971.

Didn’t take it for granted
Kinnock told BBC Wales that he hadn’t taken the victory for granted.

“During this election we’ve forbidden the term ‘safe seat’,” he said. “It’s about not taking a single vote for granted.”

Thorning-Schmidt and one of the couple’s daughters, Johanna, were both in attendance as the votes were counted in Neath in the south of Wales. Kinnock’s father Neil Kinnock, who was the leader of the Labour party from 1983 to 1992, was also there to lend his support.

Thorning-Schmidt’s satisfaction was obvious when she spoke to Berlingske at the polling station.

“I’m so happy for Stephen,” she said. “He’s done so well and the result is really fantastic for him. All the work he put in has paid off.”

But aside from Kinnock’s success, it was a devastating night for Labour. David Cameron’s Conservative party appears to have won an effective majority, with Labour unable to form a government, even with the support of the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.

The Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls lost his seat and in Scotland the party was all but wiped out by the Scottish National Party.

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