Election 2015: Conservatives sweep Elmbridge again. See how the night unfolded

Calm before the storm: Counters at the ready

Where's the storm: Counters still primed and ready at 2.30am

Conservative Dominic Raab, who was elected in 2010, is hoping to retain his seat for another term while candidates from six other parties are hoping they have done enough to turn the constituency another colour.

Dominic Raab: Is that the smile of a man returning to the Commons?

Mr Raab, hoping to retain his seat, said: “I have to say, compared to 2010 where we doubled the majority, my feeling from turning up today to the dawn raid we did on Claygate station, there’s a strong positive feel.

“The exit polls felt like good news, but it’s going to be a marathon not just a sprint.”

After the news that newcomer James Berry had toppled Ed Davey from his seat in Kingston and Surbiton, Conservative councillors and supporters expressed their delight at the Esher and Walton count.

Dominic Raab, who was hoping the Conservatives' winning streak continues in Esher and Walton, said: “We know James Berry very well and we have tried to give him some support.

“He is a brilliant candidate and will be a brilliant MP as he is very likeable and I am hoping, fingers crossed, he will be sitting on the green seats of the backbenches with me in a couple of days time.”

Along with Mr Raab, Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Davis, Francis Eldergill of Labour, Nicholas Wood of UKIP, Olivia Palmer from the Green Party, Independent Citizen candidate Della Reynolds and Matthew Heenan from Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol are all expected to attend the count at some point during the evening.

Della Reynolds: Very happy with the electoral process

Independent Citizen candidate Della Reynolds said although she did not expect to win the Esher and Walton seat she would definitely run again because her experience had been positive.

She said: “In all it was really positive as at every single husting, although I was an Independent, I was given the opportunity to speak and not all the Independent candidates have been offered that across the country.”

“Someone I know has voted for the second time, she’s now in her 50s, she voted once when she was 18 and this is only the second time she has voted and she said there is finally someone I can trust.”

Of the other candidates she said: “I think we’ve worked well together.”

“I’m a teacher so for me learning is intrinsic and I’ve learnt so much. I’ve challenged myself; I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone. We have formed a team and changed people’s minds and livened up the debate.”

Dinner party: Candidates could be headed to Matthew Heenan's house post-election

Matthew Heenan, for Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol, reflecting on his campaign, said: “For us, it is not really about the number of votes we get, it’s more about raising awareness and the way it’s gone I feel like we have achieved that.

“I get on well with the other candidates, I’m hoping that we are going to continue being friends after the election. I’d like to meet up at least once a month, maybe for dinner parties.

“Dom would definitely be invited. I can’t see why not, he’s a nice guy.”

Speaking of his decision to run for the seat, he said: “I was very much thinking that Dom is a hugely important figure in the Conservative Party. I suspected that as the electorate had been Tory unbroken since 1906, I thought it was unlikely I was going to cause the biggest upset in British political history and unseat him.”

Councillor Andrew Kelly, for Walton Ambleside, said of the exit poll: “I think if true, and that’s a big if, clearly then that’s fantastic news. A lot bigger than the polls were predicting.”

He said of the Conservatives could take the Kingston and Surbiton seat: “I would be particularly pleased to see us take that one.”

Francis Eldergill, Labour candidate, said the exit polls should not be read into too heavily and it is hard to tell what the eventual outcome of the election will be.

He said: “There has been two – the YouGov one was significantly different [to the BBC]. It is hard to tell. A lot of these seats are on a knife edge. It is going to be very different seat by seat.”

When asked how he rated his changes to take the Esher and Walton seat, which he also stood for in 2010, Mr Eldergill said: “Dom has got a strong majority and that is not going to change. It will be interesting to see what happens with all the other candidates. The Greens have put up a strong candidate.”

Going Green: Olivia Palmer did not think she could do it

Olivia Palmer, standing for the Green Party, said: “It’s been a big learning curve because I’ve never stood before but also we didn’t have an Esher and Walton Green Party before so we were all new to it, so I couldn’t learn from anyone.

“From a personal perspective it’s been really good because if I’d known what it involved I wouldn’t have thought I could do it.”

She said when campaigning a lot of people she spoke to said they had not been canvassed, commenting: “There’s not enough effort from the Conservatives because they think it is in the bag.

“I don’t know how many people are going to vote Green but lots of people I know agree with my ideas and our policies and out ideals, but whether they vote green I don’t know.”

Nicholas Wood: Cycled to 13 polling stations today  - good effort

The UKIP candidate Nicholas Wood apologised for having nothing too exciting to say as he watched the verification taking place.

Tightly holding a pack of Bounties and a ‘pink bolt’ energy drink he seemed weary from visiting 13 polling stations by bicycle today.

Commenting on the exit polls he said he would wait to see the actual results, instead of results from people asked straight out who they voted for rather than anonymously. 

Results for Esher and Walton are expected at about 4am and the Elmbridge Comet will bring you all the latest news from the count as it comes in.

Verification in action: Checking the vailidty of votes before the count proper

In the 2010 election, Esher and Walton had a 72.4 per cent turnout with 54,543 votes cast.

Mr Raab won his seat with 58.9 per cent of the vote and in second place were the Liberal Democrats with 24.8 per cent of the vote. Prior to the 2010 election, the seat was held by Conservative Ian Taylor from 1997 until 2010.

Over in the Runnymede and Weybridge constituency, a turnout figure of 67 per cent has been declared, a slight increase on the 66.4 per cent turnout figure in 2010.

Conservative and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who arrived at the count at about  3.30am, gained 55.9 per cent of the vote at the last election and looks set to hold on to his seat.

Mr Hammond arrived at the vote count shortly after 2am and the result is expected to come it at about 4am.

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