Phew!

Returned with a majority of 125 which may well be one of the smallest in the country. It's always nice to be number one but I had something in mind other than number one target seat.

Although canvass returns looked good I knew that it was going to be tight when we realised that there were a lot of Tory activists from out of the area. Had not appreciated how tight and when agent rang me we thought I had lost so I arrived at the count feeling rather despondent. Three recounts later and that was it but I really would have preferred not to have quite such a close result.....

Sadness was that although we have gains some friends have lost seats (Sue Doughty in Guildford and David Rendel in Newbury in particular) and some people did not quite make it who I expected to be there. A rollercoaster ride.