David Cameron just revealed his 'sweetest' revenge victory in the general election

REUTERS/Anja Niedringhaus/Pool

Prime Minister David Cameron revealed today that his sweetest election moment was winning back the Rochester and Strood constituency from Mark Reckless, who defected from the Conservatives to the UK Independence Party last year.

Last November Reckless romped home with 42% of the vote in the Rochester and Strood by-election called following his defection. The loss was a bitter blow to the Conservative party, which got 35% of the vote, and to Number 10 Downing Street in particular with David Cameron having promised to "throw the kitchen sink" at his party's campaign.

However, on May 7 that result was reversed with Conservative candidate Kelly Tolhurst winning a majority of more than 7,000 votes. On the night UKIP took only a single seat, with party leader Nigel Farage resigning after he failed to win his seat in South Thanet, although the party took 13% of the national vote.

Of all the high profile causalities on election night including Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls, the Liberal Democrats' Vince Cable and Simon Hughes and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander, Cameron insisted to journalists today that it was this victory that was particularly sweet.

Cameron, asked which was sweetest victory, Balls/Cable/others, says plenty to choose from but "I was very excited for Kelly in Rochester".

- Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) May 11, 2015

Revenge, it seems, is a dish best served cold.