ROLLING out broadband to everyone in the Forest of Dean, delivering the new hospital in Cinderford, getting on with dealing with the traffic congestion around Chepstow and Gloucester and helping businesses across the region are the top priorities for MP Mark Harper, who was returned for a fifth time last week.

Conservative Mr Harper, who has been the region’s Member of Parliament since 2005, won with a thumping majority of 15,869 over Labour’s Di Martin, who was second.

Mr Harper polled 30,680 votes to take 59.6 per cent of the constituency vote, with Mrs Martin recording 14,811 votes.

Green Party candidate Chris McFarling was third with 4,681 votes, with Independent Julian Burrett polling 1,303.

Mr Harper’s majority was over six thousand more than he achieved in the 2017 General Election and added that the promise to uphold the 2016 European Union referendum to leave played no small part in the victory for him.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER