General Election 2015: Labour’s Leonie Mathers finally arrives at Sherwood count

Sherwood and District General Election count and results at the Dukeries Leisure Centre, Boughton. Labour candidate Leonie Mathers

Laughing off suggestions that she had got lost, MS Mathers said her delayed arrival was caused by her watching the national picture on TV.

She was soon swamped by journalists posing questions but refused to be drawn on any suggestions that she may not be looking at victory.

Instead she stressed the importance to Labour of winning the Sherwood seat.

“This seat has always been crucial,” said Ms Mathers. “People here keep telling me we have to win as they are fed up of the Tories letting them down.”

With smaller competing parties being critical of Labour’s campaign nationally, Ms Mathers defended her party and said: “We are exactly where we need to be to win seats and it’s a little out of kilter for smaller parties to suggest otherwise.”

Ms Mathers refused to comment on what the suggested margins could be at the final but said she had had a ‘really good day across the constituency’.