ALL three of Bradford's Labour MPs retained their seats in the General Election, despite the party's hammering elsewhere in the country.

Bradford West MP Naz Shah won a staggering 76 per cent of the vote, while Judith Cummins held the Bradford South seat despite exit figures hinting the seat was likely to go to the Conservatives.

And Imran Hussain held on to Bradford East with a healthy majority.

But despite the local success, numerous Labour members told the Telegraph & Argus it was important the party took time to reflect on why it had performed so poorly.

The Bradford count took place in the former Richard Dunn Leisure Centre - which closed last month when facilities moved to the new Sedbergh Leisure Centre.

The count is likely to be the last major event at the cavernous centre - which is due to be demolished in 2020.

The Conservatives had seen Bradford South, which has been Labour since the end of the Second World War, as a key target.

With 63.5 per cent of the constituency voting to leave the EU in the referendum, the Tories hoped they could sway voters to shift allegiances.

And earlier this week Home Secretary Priti Patel visited to give one last boost to Conservative candidate Narinder Singh Sekhon, part of the Sekhon group of property developers.

When exit polls were revealed at 10pm, it was predicted that Bradford South would be one of the many seats to turn from red to blue in one would have been the biggest political shock in Bradford since the election of George Galloway in 2012.

Although Mrs Cummins saw her share of the vote fall from 54 per cent in 2017 to just 46 per cent this year, it was still enough to hold off the competition.

Mrs Cummins said: “I’m delighted that the people of Bradford South have put their faith in me once again. I promise that I will keep fighting on their behalf to improve our local community."

Ironically pro-leave vote in the constituency came in at 47 per cent, but was split between Conservative candidate Mr Sekhon (40 per cent) and Brexit Party candidate Kulvinder Singh Manik (seven per cent).

Although the Bradford MPs ended the night victorious, they were bitterly disappointed by their party's national performance, and the loss of John Grogan's Keighley seat.

Ms Shah received a majority of over 27,000, confirming Bradford West as one of the safest Labour seats in teh country.

She thanked constituents for backing her once again, but referring to the national picture she added: "I'm saddened for my constituents and saddened for the country.

"People deserve so much more than a Tory Government. We have got to reflect and take stock. The people have spoken and we have to look at what has gone wrong."

In her victory speech she said: "Bradford West has had its say, and has clearly had enough of austerity. I have a message to the families that are struggling and are forced to use food banks - you are not alone. This fight is not over. labour MPs like myself will fight for you."

After being re-elected Imran Hussain said: "Of course we're delighted we retained the three Bradford seats, but I'm sorry we lost John. He is a good constituency MP and a good comrade.

"However, I think today Bradford has given a clear message that 10 years of austerity has devastated the city.

"Schools are underfunded, people are struggling to get a GP and families are forced to use foodbanks."

"I pledge that I will hold them to account - lets see what they do."

Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe has been out campaigning with other Labour members, and said the public was growing weary with the main political parties.

She said: "Throughout the campaign the people I've spoken to are sick of hearing about Brexit.

"They are disillusioned with all politicians - no matter what party."

Matt Edwards, of the Bradford Green Party, said: "Labour need to ask themselves, after a 4th defeat on the trot, what they are doing wrong.

"Why are they struggling in Bradford South where they held for so long?"

Although his own party struggled to make major inroads, he was positive about their impact on politics. He said: "At this election, like the last one, it has been about the two main parties with smaller parties squeezed in the middle. But this was the climate election - parties were falling over themselves to get environmental messages out."

One of the candidates who had attracted the most intrigue was Azfar Shah Bukhari, a journalist who had not listed himself as being affiliated to any party, and had listed his address as being in Pakistan.

He had said he had been on assignment in Pakistan, and was planning to return to the UK. He had also hit the headlines for filing a court case against PM Boris Johnston, saying he was unfit to rule the country and citing instances where he had used insulting and racially charged language.

However, Mr Bukhari only managed to achieve 90 votes the Bradford West constituency he was standing in.

Despite standing candidates in all but one ward of the District, the Brexit Party failed to make any significant ground in Bradford, although they did push the Liberal Democrat Party into forth place in Bradford West and Bradford East.

BRADFORD WEST - turnout 63 per cent (down from 68 per cent in 2017)

Naz Shah (Labour) - 33,736

Mohammed Afzal (Conservatives) - 6,717 votes.

Derrick Hodgson (Brexit) - 1,556

Mark Christie (Lib Dem) 1,349

Darren Parkinson (Green) 813

Azfar Bukhari (No Party) 90

BRADFORD EAST - turnout 61 per cent (down from 65 per cent in 2017)

Imran Hussain (Lab) - 27,825

Linden Kemkaran (Cons) - 9681

Jonathan Barras (Brex) - 2,700

Andy Stanford (Green) - 662

Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem) - 3,316

BRADFORD SOUTH - turnout 58 per cent (down from 61 per cent in 2017)

Judith Cummins (Lab) - 18,390

Narinder Singh Sekhon (Cons) - 16,044

Kulvinder Singh Manik (Brexit) - 2,819

Alun Griffiths (Lib Dem) - 1,505

Matthew Edwards (Green) - 983

Acting returning officers Kersten England said that there had been few issues at polling stations despite fears winter weather could hinder the first December election for decades. She said gritters had been sent to 52 polling stations on higher grounds, but that cold wet weather had not seemed to deter voters.

Previous years have seen claims of intimidation at polling station, but Mrs England said the only reported incidents this year were cases of illegal fly posting of political posters.