We stayed awake till 3.30am watching the situation evolve and waiting for news from our own constituency and those around us.  Finally, with the thought  of a 9.30am meeting this morning, we turned off the TV and gave in, still not knowing what the outcome would be.

The morning came and we still had no idea.

Throughout the day, I peered at my phone, awaiting a text message which would alert me to the results of a constituency nowhere near here but one which was of special interest.

We held our breath.

How much longer?

At 3pm friends dropped in for a cup of tea and a chat.  How could we tell them that we really would have preferred to sit in front of the TV, watching for that result which still hadn’t come in.  We left the screen in favour of sitting around the kitchen table but I spotted someone peeking at his iphone under it from time to time!

At 4pm, only two counts were outstanding, one of which was the delayed election caused by the death of a candidate.  Guess which was the other one?

Finally.  At 4.36pm we pricked up our ears as we heard the words we’d been listening for.  The result was in.  The very last seat was declared.

 

 

Geoffrey Cox QC held the West Devon and Torridge seat for the Conservative Party.

But most important, the Parliamentary Assistant in the family still has a job!