Tory chairman Richard Holden holds Essex seat by 20 votes in knife-edge result
The Conservative Party chairman contested the Essex seat despite facing a backlash from members over the selection process.
Richard Holden has won the Essex constituency he was parachuted into by a wafer-thin 20 votes.
The Tory chairman secured 12,905 votes in Basildon and Billericay to Labour's 12,885.
The tight result came after a number of recounts, delaying its announcement by nearly three hours.
Mr Holden was at the centre of a row over how he landed the plum Conservative constituency.
He was unveiled as the candidate for Basildon and Billericay in Essex days before the selection process closed.
Mr Holden was the sole candidate presented on what was expected to be a shortlist of three names for the Essex seat, angering some local Tory members.
The Conservative leader on Basildon council had branded the central Tory office as "shameful" and claimed he would not campaign for Mr Holden.
Mr Holden was the MP for North West Durham but the constituency ceased to exist following boundary changes in 2024.
He had previously claimed he was "bloody loyal" to the North East.
He has held several ministerial roles, as well as the chairmanship of the Conservative Party.
Basildon and Billericay was regarded as a safe Conservative seat, with Tory John Baron having won a majority of 20,412 over his nearest Labour opponent in 2010.
