Nigel Farage is standing down as Ukip leader after losing his bid to be elected MP for South Thanet.

Kent’s reputation as a true blue Tory heartland was consolidated in an election night and day of high drama.

Farage’s bid to win the South Thanet seat for Ukip ended at 10.35am when it was announced he had polled 2,812 votes fewer than his Tory rival Craig Mackinlay.

Farage had vowed to resign as Ukip leader if he failed to win in South Thanet, and less than an hour after the result was announced he confirmed he was to quit.

He said there had been a political earthquake but, referring to the SNP landslide, said it had taken place in Scotland.

Farage said he felt many Ukip supporters had voted Conservative to avoid a Labour/SNP coalition. He added the fact Ukip had ended up with only one MP showed the first past the post electoral system was bankrupt.

He said he would now take his first holiday since 1993 and ‘have some fun.’

Mackinlay said it felt ‘fantastic’ to have been elected, adding he did not feel sympathy for Farage.

Sir Roger Gale was victorious in North Thanet with over ten thousand more votes than second-placed Piers Wauchope of Ukip.

The new Conservative MPs both committed to saving Manston Airport in their acceptance speeches.

Reactions from Twitter showed that there were people pleased with the result.

Bunny la Roche of Thanet Stand Up To Ukip said: “What a brilliant result! The majority have stood up to UKIP's horrible racism and bigotry and run 'nasty Nigel' off the island."

Save Manston Airport campaigners are hopeful the Conservative MPs will now go through with their promise to get the airport up and running.