In pictures and video: Conservatives keep complete control in Staffordshire

Click on each of the constituencies below for the latest on each area:

• Cannock Chase

• Stafford

• South Staffordshire

• Lichfield

• Stone

Our reporters and photographers were tweeting live from the counts in Staffordshire:

Cannock Chase

Nail biting steadily increased through the night in Cannock with candidates claiming it was too close to call.

Amanda Milling (Con) - 20,811

Janos Toth (Lab) - 15,888

Grahame Wiggin (UKIP) - 8,224

Ian Jackson (Lib Dem) - 1,270

Paul Woodhead (Green) - 906

Result: Conservative hold Majority: 4,923

Turnout: 63.2%

2010

Con 18,271

Lab 15,076

Lib Dem 7,732

BNP 2,168

UKIP 1,580

Get Snouts Out The Trough 259

Independent 93

But the hopefuls at Chase Leisure Centre were pleased with the support they had received over the last six weeks.

The constituency witnessed the biggest swing of the entire election in 2010 and this time around Labour were hoping to win it back from the Tories, a feat they were unable to achieve with the Conservatives gaining a majority of 5,000.

Speaking after the result, Conservative winner, Amanda Milling said: "I am absolutely thrilled and humbled, honoured and privileged.

"In 2010 we had the biggest swing in the country and I knew I was defending a relatively small majority.

"I have been working so hard to be elected - I'm on my 27th hour now today.

"My key priority as MP will be to continue to support small business. That is about ensuring there are jobs in the area and apprenticeships for everyone."

Janos Toth, the defeated Labour candidate, did not break stride from leaving the stage to walking out of the building.

In his speech he said: "It has not been a good night for Labour across the country and certainly not in Cannock Chase.

"But there is always another day and another time.

"We have still got a big future in Cannock Chase and I wish Amanda well. It would be wrong not to."

UKIP had had a meteoric rise in the constituency over the last two years. The party has formed the official opposition on the council and took more than 30 per cent of the vote in last year's local elections.

Defeated UKIP candidate, Grahame Wiggin, said: "I am disappointed we did not do better for the people of Cannock.

"But I am elated that we pushed the vote up as high as we did from the pathetic position we were in from 2010.

"There was no way we could compete with the spending of the two main parties. They threw tens of thousands of pounds at it."

Paul Woodhead, the Green party candidate, said his party had achieved success merely by fielding a candidate.

"We didn't have a local party here until February," he explained. "We are all fairly new to this.

"I genuinely don't know how we will do both nationally and locally but success to us has already been achieved.

"We have got a parliamentary candidate, council candidates across the district and we have been able to raise important issues during the campaign."

During the month-long 'short' campaign it has been hard to move in the constituency without bumping into big-hitters from the contending parties.

On Wednesday, the final day of campaigning, David Cameron was in Cannock meeting mothers of children at Stepping Stones day nursery, based in Heath Hayes Community Centre.

Last week former Foreign Secretary William Hague went door-to-door and Chief whip Michael Gove pleaded with shoppers in Rugeley to vote Tory.

Labour sent shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna and Nigel Farage appeared briefly at family-run Bird & Yates Garage in Cannock.

The reason why the constituency is considered a key battleground is the shock Tory win last time around in 2010.

Since its creation in 1997 the seat had been held by Labour but Aidan Burley was able to secure the biggest swing of the entire election to claim it for the Conservatives.

Labour put forward former Cannock Chase District Council deputy leader Janos Toth as their man to win back the seat.

The area's deep mining heritage means there are swathes of voters who would not ever consider voting for the Conservatives.

Stafford

Jeremy Lefroy last night vowed to improve health services in Stafford, and was re-elected by a majority of 9,000.

Jeremy Lefroy* (Con) - 23,606

Kate Godfrey (Lab) - 14,429

Edward Whitfield (UKIP) - 6,293

Karen Howell (NHA) - 1,701

Mike Shone (Green) - 1,390

Keith Miller (Lib Dem) - 1,348

Result: Majority:

Turnout:

2010

Con 22,047

Lab 16,587

Lib Dem 8,211

UKIP 1,727

BNP 1,103

Green 564

"We've had this huge issue with the health service," he said. "I will be supporting bringing the services back to Stafford.

"But we've seen a lot of investment in the town. I'm absolutely positive about Stafford's future."

It was difficult to predict the outcome in the county town and tensions were mounting between candidates as they waited nervously for the result of the count, which in the end was won decisively by Jeremy Lefroy.

The downgrade of County Hospital has been a huge issue with campaigners furious with the Conservatives and Labour who have both made promises to restore services during the campaign.

Conservative candidate Mr Lefroy, whose party has presided over the downgrade of the hospital, was hoping a late campaign promise to re-instate 24-hour A&E at County Hospital would be enough to persuade voters re-elect him. This was met with a backlash by campaigners who have said the Tories cannot be trusted.

The stripping of key services from the former Stafford Hospital has dominated the trail in the county town.

Karen Howell, who led the march of 50,000 people through the town against the stripping of hospital services and was fighting for the National Health Action Party, was one of the first candidates to arrive.

As the count got under way at MOD Stafford, she admitted the election would be a hard one to call but voiced that there needed to be political reform and was not looking too nervous before the count began.

She said: "We've had enough and things have to change because decisions are being made which are inappropriate. We were ignored in the march but I will keep campaigning for hospital services.

"I have become known as the hospital lady. I've had quite a few people who usually vote Conservative as well as Labour say they were going to vote for me.

"I think we need to change and need political reform and stop the two party system we have."

She said she would continue campaigning for the NHS even if she faced a loss, adding: "I am not going to go away."

Labour's Kate Godfrey has also campaigned against the downgrading of County Hospital and privatisation of the NHS.

Mike Shone, who was standing for the Green Party, said he believed he had a good campaign this election.

He added: "These last few months have been great for the Green Party. We've got many more members and activists. It's been a pleasure to see the party grow.

"I believe HS2 will benefit a few to the detriment of investment in transport elsewhere. The NHS also needs a lot of investment."

UKIP had also been campaigning hard in the rural areas of the constituency on an anti-HS2 platform which will cut through a number of villages.

South Staffordshire

It was a realistic atmosphere in South Staffordshire, as safe a Tory seat it is possible to get.

Lyndon Jones (UKIP) - 8,267

Kevin McElduff (Lab) - 9,107

Claire McIlvenna (Green) - 1,298

Gavin Williamson* (Con) - 29,478

Robert Woodthorpe Browne (Lib Dem) - 1,448

Result: Conservative hold Majority: 20,371

Turnout: 58.9%

2010

Con 26,834

Lab 10,244

Lib Dem 8,427

UKIP 2,753

BNP 1,928

Independent 254

Since he was elected in 2010 with a majority was 16,590, incumbent Gavin Williamson has gone on to become David Cameron's eyes and ears in Westminster, serving as the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Private Secretary. Mr Williamson took over from Sir Patrick Cormack, now Lord Cormack, who had held the seat from 1983 when it was created.

The Tory vote in that time has never fallen below 50 per cent in any of the seven elections, not even the 1997 Labour landslide.

Mr Williamson was re-elected with a majority of over 20,000.

A total of 84, 537 people registered to vote across South Staffordshire this year, with a 68.3 per cent turnout in 2010.

The constituency wraps around the north of Wolverhampton and the western flank of the city down to Kinver.

Sites have been earmarked in Hobnock Road, Broad Lane and Long Lane in Essington as well as Middlehill in Shareshill, another in Ball Lane, Coven Heath as well as a site at Glenside, Dark Lane, Slade Heath.

There has also been controversy over plans for four crematoriums in Essington, Perton, Wergs and Hatherton. All four schemes have been refused locally, but appeals were a possibility.

Extra funding for secondary schools has also been highlighted as a top issue. The constituency is also home to three prisons – Brinsford, Featherstone and Oakwood.

They are major sources of employment in the area, but all three have suffered problems over the last few years.

Lichfield

Michael Fabricant saw his majority increase for a fifth consecutive election.

Michael Fabricant* (Con) - 28,389

Chris Worsey (Lab) - 10,200

John Rackham (UKIP) - 8,082

Paul Ray (Lichfield) - 2,700

Rob Pass (Green) - 1,976

Andy Bennetts (Class War) - 120

Result: Majority:

Turnout:

2010

Con 28,048

Lib Dem 10,365

Labour 10,230

UKIP 2,920

The flamboyant Conservative, who revealed he had been diagnosed with skin cancer at the start of the campaign, has built a large following since first becoming an MP in 1992, and was re-elected with a majority of 18,000 vots.

Mr Fabricant resigned as a government whip over the £50bn rail line and then was sacked as the Conservative's vice-chairman.

He had proposed the idea of forming a pact with UKIP.

Mr Fabricant has been at the helm at Lichfield since the constituency was re-established in 1997 and in each General Election since his majority has increased every time starting from 238.

Mr Fabricant's campaign pledges included maintaining NHS investment, enabling a referendum on the EU, restricting welfare payments to immigrants and to ensure a system is in place to ensure only English MPs can vote on English laws.

Following the announcement of his victory Mr Fabricant said: "I'm absolutely elated about the result.

"I think what it does say I like Lichfield and I think Lichfield likes me. And when I say Lichfield I also mean Burntwood and all the villages around it.

"They (the voters) must be the judge not me.

"I want to thank everyone who has voted for me and for the candidates who on the whole gave a fair and decent campaign.

The results tonight have been extroadinary. What it means for the relationship with Scotland I don't know and other political parties I don't know either.

"I think history will say 2015 re-wrote political textbooks.

"HS2 is still a major issue which I will continue to campaign on and I think the costs have gone up further so I think that is something we need to re-look at.

"There are issues to do with heavy trucks using certain roads in my constituency, there is a whole series of issues. I get about 400 letters and emails a week.

"In a few hours time I'm going to be off a few days where I hope to get a bit of a rest."

Mr Fabricant's opponents included Chris Worsey of Labour, John Rackham (UKIP), Paul Ray (Liberal Democrats), Robert Pass (Green Party) and Andy Bennetts from the anarchist party Class War.

Labour was hoping to improve its political position in Lichfield after the 2010 General Election saw the party fall to third place behind Liberal Democrats candidate Ian Jackson. Labour has not been in political control of the Staffordshire city since the 1940s before the constituency was abolished.

Robert Pass who stood for the Green Party said: "We did not expect to win this election but we have been part of a fantastic campaign and have achieved exactly what we set out to do and that was to announce our arrival on stage.

"This is just the beginning for the Lichfield and Burntwood Green Party and we are going to be there campaigning over the months and years to get our message across and win the trust of voters."

Over the course of the last parliament, unemployment has virtually vanished to under one per cent and the city centre is thriving with hardly an empty shop. There is also the prospect of a new multi-million pound shopping centre.

Big issues in and around Lichfield are the HS2 line which will cut through the eastern fringe of the city, destroying ancient woodlands, towering over canals, and slicing through historic Whittington Heath Golf Club.

In Burntwood campaigners have been calling for a new health centre for 20 years. It was promised under the last government and then the funding removed by NHS England last year. Last time around the Liberal Democrats knocked Labour into third place with 20 per cent of the vote.

Stone

Sir Bill Cash* (Con) - 25,733

John Coutouvidis (Independent) - 531

Sam Hale (Labour) - 9,483

Andrew Illsley (UKIP) - 7,623

Martin Lewis (Lib Dem) - 2,473

Wenslie Naylon (Green) - 1,191

Result: Conservative Majority: 16,250

2010

Con 23,890

Lib Dem 10,598

Lab 9,770

UKIP 2,481

Green 490

Veteran parliamentarian Sir Bill Cash was expected to be re-elected to the House of Commons for the eighth time.

The Tory backbencher, who has been an MP since 1984, is part of the strong Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party that looked to scupper the chances of UKIP's Andrew Illsley to make a major breakthrough.

The constituency is affected by the proposed HS2 high-speed rail link, which will pass to the west of the seat and cross the M6.

Mr Cash has been a vocal opponent to the £50bn scheme like his Conservative colleagues in Stafford and Lichfield.

Retaining a direct London train service from the town has also been an important campaigning issue.

His 2010 majority was 13,292 and he has held the seat since 1997. Prior to that he was the MP for Stafford from 1984 which he won in a by-election.

Locally, there has been opposition to plans for a new £6m Marks & Spencer supermarket in Westbridge Park. The plans would also see a new leisure centre and improvement to football pitches.

The building of hundreds of new houses has also been contentious.

The loss of services at Stafford Hospital is also a big issue here, with constituents served by the Weston Road site in the county town.

The Labour candidate is Sam Hale who has been campaigning against plans by health chiefs in Staffordshire to outsource cancer and end of life care in deals worth up to £1.2bn.