Lib Dem lord is hospitality voice in the Commons

A hereditary peer who left the House of Lords during the last Government was the most successful candidate from the hospitality industry in last week's General Election.

Viscount Thurso, managing director of health resort Champneys, stood for the first time for the House of Commons as a Liberal Democrat and won his seat in mainland Britain's most northerly constituency, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. He got 36.4% of the votes, a majority of 2,744 over Labour. Lord Thurso said: "Having been front bench spokesman for tourism in the Lords for three-and-a-half years, the hospitality industry will be at the forefront of my agenda in the Commons."

Simon Allison, chief finance officer of hotel investment company Hospitality Europe, stood as a Conservative in Croydon North. He came second, with 23% of the vote, and said the results showed that a Conservative party "looking and sounding like a far-right party" would not win votes. "It is my misfortune to be a pro-European Conservative," he said.

Harash Narang, the virologist who believes that foot-and-mouth may have originated in a Government laboratory (Caterer, 5 April, page 4), stood as an independent against Agriculture Minister Nick Brown in Newcastle. Narang has heavily criticised the Government's handling of the foot-and-mouth disease.

Nick Brown got 63% of the votes and Narang got 1.7%. After the announcement of the results Narang congratulated the Labour minister, adding: "Poor lambs have no chance with you."

The Earl of Bradford, owner of Porters restaurant in London and the Countess's Arms in Weston Heath, Shropshire, stood as a UK Independence Party candidate in his home constituency of Stafford.

He came fourth, with 2,315 votes, slightly over 5% of the total, which meant he got his £500 deposit back. He said: "I think it's a hell of an achievement. Six months ago people didn't know we existed. It shows how strongly people feel about certain subjects, such as Britain leaving the European Union."

Lord Bradford said he had "honoured" winning Labour MP David Kidney by serving devilled lamb's kidneys at his London restaurant Porters.

Carl Les, owner of the 40-bedroom North Yorkshire hotel, the Lodge at Leeming Bar, held his Conservative seat in the local county council elections. William and Ffion Hague are among his 8,500 constituents.

By Ben Walker