By Jenny Meyer and Laura Frykberg

Peter Dunne has won the Ohariu Belmont seat by 1170 votes.

United Future’s Leader Peter Dunne has held his nerve and his seat. The Ohariu electorate tossed votes to National’s Katrina Shanks, meaning Mr Dunne’s future trundles on in Parliament, despite his step to the right in what has been a long dance over the years.

“The position across the country as far as United Future is concerned can best be described as disappointing; we haven’t done as well as we wanted or expected,” he said tonight at the Kingsgate Hotel.

He  thinks one of the reasons was the country was clearly in the mood for a change.

“I want to congratulate John [Key] on what looks like a pretty emphatic result. I want to wish him well with the process of putting a government together and to reconfirm that United Future will be supporting that government. We have always been around as a party to do the best for the people we represent.”

Mr Dunne went on to state his aim in Parliament.

“Developing the world is going to require steady, compassionate and balanced leadership. This is not a time for ideological extremism to hold sway.

“I make this commitment to the people of Ohariu Belmont, voters who supported me, and the people who supported United Future across the country, whatever power we have in the parliamentary sense – we will over the next three years, use that to moderate extremes.

“To make sure and good that the advent of a new government does not unleash ideological extremism on the right, to make sure good ideas, whether they be left or right, are promoted and implemented, and never to surrender the good will or the common sense people of New Zealand, in a bout of political extremism like this country has seen in the last three years,” he said.

Labour candidate Charles Chauvel claimed his own small victory, despite losing the seat, saying the Ohariu seat is now marginal.

“Media and commentators have tended to persuade us that this electorate was a fortress that Peter Dunne couldn’t lose.”

With regard to National’s victory, Mr Chauvel said “I am sad we lost. We are worried about the government in office.  We will hold them acccountable.

“I think it will be a short-lived government”.