I then checked the locking lever on the U bracket. There was significant side to side movement and the secondary throttle flap felt loose. I squeezed the U bracket closer together with pliers and took the van for a run. It's FIXED!
So to recap:
SYMPTOMS
- Whilst driving and the van reaches a certain speed the revs get stuck really high with the engine racing
- Touching the throttle makes no difference
- Van speed does not decrease when releasing the throttle
- The only cure is to restart the engine
CAUSE
- Secondary throttle flap remains slightly open
HOW TO FIX
- Adjust the U bracket on the locking collar below the secondary vacuum diaphragm
It's seems as though by fixing all the air leaks and replacing the missing gasket I exposed other issues the carb had.
Thank you everyone for your time looking into this, it's really appreciated.

The van drives like a dream now, I actually had to blip the throttle when at the lights because I thought the engine had stalled. It's that quiet. We're off to Cornwall tomorrow so it couldn't have come at a better time.