After securing a sixth term as MP for South Holland and the Deepings, Conservative MP John hayes told the crowd at this morning’s count that he had mixed campaigning with GCSE revision.
Mr Hayes, who increased his vote from 29,303 in 2015 to an all-time high of 35,179, said he had been campaigning during the day and helping son William with his Physics revision in the evening.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Hayes said: “This campaign coincided with GCSEs and my son William said the Prime Minister ought to have consulted him about the timing. We were revising for physics and campaigning at the same time.”
He added: “I would like to commiserate with my principal opponent, Voyteck Kowaleswki from the Labour Party, who fought an incredibly honourable campaign.
“When you stand for election you effectively re-apply for your job. People don’t judge you or gauge you in the space of a few weeks but on the whole time you have served them and their interests.
“I have visited virtually every village in the constituency over the last several weeks and I met thousands of local people and that is a great joy and a delight to me.
“I campaigned on the basis of being the people’s choice and clearly I am. What you can be really clear about is that I will always be the voice of all the people. Once you are elected you work for everyone, regardless of who they voted for and that is what I have always done and will always do as your servant in this constituency.
“It may be by the end of the night that this is the safest seat in Britain for the Conservative Party. We are the people’s party in South Holland and the Deepings and long may it continue.”