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Haverhill's MP Richard Spring has hailed his successor as Tory candidate in the constituency, chosen at the weekend, as 'an individual of exceptional intellect and ability'.

Matt Hancock, pictured, 31-year-old chief adviser to shadow chancellor George Osborne, was chosen from a shortlist of six at an open primary for the nomination, held at Mildenhall.

Mr Spring, who kept away from the contest, responded afterwards on his blog: "I have worked closely with him in the last few years and he is an individual of exceptional intellect and ability.

"He will undoubtedly work assiduously in the constituency, but be centrally involved in parliamentary life, especially if we win the next general election.

"I am greatly looking forward to working with him in the months to come, to ensure a seamless succession process."

Mr Hancock, who is married with two children, is at the heart of Tory economic policy and heads a team of advisers working for the shadow chancellor and Tory leader David Cameron.

He had been scheduled to attend the annual world economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, but cancelled the visit after being placed in the final shortlist of six candidates for West Suffolk.

He will now step down from his full-time Westminster role to concentrate on campaigning in the constituency.

Mr Hancock was born to a farming family in Cheshire, and is a graduate from Oxford University where he gained a first-class degree in politics, philosophy, and economics. Before joining the Tories, he was a housing market analyst for the Bank of England.

He failed in an attempt to get selected at Congleton in his native Cheshire at the end of November, despite making the shortlist, being beaten by a local lawyer.

A claim on Radio 4's The World This Weekend that Tory chairman Eric Pickles had tried to gethim added at a l;ate stage top the shortlist in nearby Macclesfield as a favour to Mr Cameron in October was vigorously denied.

Mr Hancock and his wife Martha will start the job of house hunting immediately, and will rent until the election before the family settles down in the constituency.

It took four rounds of voting to find a winner, Mr Hancock defeating London lawyer Natalie Elphicke by 88 votes to 81 in the final roundt.

Other shortlisted candidates included Anthony Freize, Sam Gyimah, Shelia Lawlor and Lucille Nicholson.

Mr Spring's majority at the lasty election wasc nearly 9,000.