Votes arrive by boat for final election constituency after stormy seas calm down
Ballot boxes for the final General Election constituency to announce its results are on their way to be counted after stormy conditions passed.
In the St Ives constituency, adverse weather had meant boats and a Royal Naval Air Service helicopter from the outer islands of the Isles of Scilly were unable to reach the main island of St Mary’s.
Andrew Walder, a skipper for Tresco Boats, ferried the final votes from St Martin’s and St Agnes on Friday morning after conditions had “much improved”.
“The wait is nearly over!” Mr Walder told said.
“We usually are last to declare. (That’s) life on the Isles of Scilly – at the mercy of the weather this time of year.
“Generally why elections are held in the summer!”
Mr Walder, who spent 17 years in the Merchant Navy, and was accompanied by fellow Tresco Boats skipper Joe Greenlaw on his journey between the islands.
After vote counting was suspended early on Friday morning, Cornwall Council said it hopes to reopen at Truro College at 2.30pm to restart.
St Ives will be the last of 650 seats to declare in an election in which the Conservatives romped home with a majority of almost 80 seats.