What a difference a year makes! As we stand on the edge of a #NoDealBrexit I wonder if our supposed "rebel" Conservative MP regrets getting back in the Tory fold. A thread ... We knew it was going to be close.

Wimbledon Labour and their Momentum candidate had fought a desperate campaign focused on preventing us winning (including delivering a leaflet up until polling day falsely claiming that Gina Miller's organisation backed them as the only party able to beat the Conservatives)

And we knew that the fear of Corbyn was making many feel unsure about abandoning the Conservatives. I was worried that we were having to spend a lot of time with left-leaning voters explaining that we *could* win and not enough talking about where we shared their values

At the count itself our box count samples looked good and we'd clearly won in a number of the 10 wards, the electoral areas that make up the constituency. Labour had collapsed in most areas and the Tories were down. But was it enough?

(It was particularly pleasing to see we'd convincingly won in both the area I am a councillor and also the area our candidate @PaulKohlerSW19 is a councillor)

As the legal agent, there's a number of duties - one is discussing with the Returning officer as he decides whether the "doubtful" votes are valid votes for anyone. Most are swear words or drawings, or attempts to vote for racist parties not on the ballot.

Sometimes they're corrections and those votes are usually counted (but don't sign or initial your correction - anything that identifies the voter invalidates it).

Eventually the count was finished. The worst, we were 600 votes behind... probably too far that it's a mistake but so close. The agents are called over to agree that the Returning officer can declare the result. I refuse, I argue for a bundle check.

This is a sort through to check that none of the bundles of 100 have been miscounted or put in the wrong candidate's pile. After some small reluctance, it's agreed. The bundle check starts. The counting staff begin to move... the Conservatives erupt

One of the Conservative councillors begins to start loudly ranting, and getting up close to people to shout at them. The Conservative candidate is pacing. The Tory agent patronisingly remarks that in one election when his candidate was only 100 votes behind...

He didn't push for a recount (errr...?). My team look across at me concerned. But we've planned for this. One of the team is on the phone to our overnight election lawyers, discussing whether there are any legal grounds to request a full recount.

My job is to make sure both that there's time for this to happen and to get the Returning officer to speak to our lawyers if there seems an arguable case. By this time the counting staff are finishing up the bundle check. The ranty Conservative councillor

Is now shouting that we're trying to put fake Lib Dem votes into the piles (genuinely, he is an embarrassment to their group). I am standing with my back to the Tories trying to blank them out ...suddenly the mobile is being thrust into my hands -
might be grounds for recount!

I now need to get the Returning Officer to take the call, I thrust it towards him saying there is a call for him (he's probably used to such :/ ). He takes the call, there's an agonising few minute chat. He doesn't agree. He's not going to order a full recount ...

He explains his reasons to the assembled agents. The declaration will be made.