I want to thank the thousands of people who voted for me on Thursday and the hundreds who have since contacted me with warm words of support. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the messages and the deep felt loss that people are expressing.

During the election I was touched by the thousands of people who seemed to appreciate my time as the MP for Loughborough. Since the defeat on Thursday the tributes have been even stronger - somebody on my facebook site had to remind people I had not died!!

It is time now to move on. I am proud of the work I have done as a constituency MP and felt there was still so much more I could offer.

The overall election result is something I will speak about later (and certainly blog about) but now I am taking a well earned rest to spend time with a family who have been so patient for far too long. It is time to invest time with them.

As I am no longer an MP I cannot take up any more casework - that should all now be sent to our Tory MP.

I would also like to put on record my thanks to the team of staff in Loughborough and London. For many they will have been the first point of contact and they too will be made redundant in the next few days. I am sure you would like to pass on your appreciation too.

I will continue a wide range of voluntary Leicestershire roles I hold and will be looking to do charity work - so I will not be disappearing - just moving away from front line politics for a while.

It is also important to note that the Tory MP is now defending a slim 3000 majority. I know from experience that this is all too easy to slip away. I am sure the Labour Party locally will be holding her to account and scrutinising every move. If Limehurst is threatened with closure and an Incinerator given the go-ahead this year we know who to blame. Cuts in Surestart and educaiton and health will not go unpunished."