St Ives final seat to declare after 'bad weather and rough seas' disrupt Isles of Scilly ballot box transportation
A Cornish constituency was the last in the UK to declare because of high tides and bad weather.
The St Ives constituency had been expected to declare at around 5am on Friday (December 13) but the count was delayed to 2:30pm.
The ballot boxes were gathered from the surrounding islands and delivered to St Mary's - the largest of the Scilly Isles - before the count took place on Friday afternoon.
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 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.
Read more: Votes arrive by boat for final election constituency after stormy seas calm down
Cornwall Council has warned a combination of atrocious weather and high tides mean the results for Penzance, Penwith, Helston and Isles of Scilly will have to wait until Friday afternoon.
ITV News West Country reporter Steve Hardy, who has been at the St Ives count at Carn Brea, provided updates overnight and throughout Friday.
Watch Steve’s report below:
Cornwall Council confirmed the count is suspended until 2:30pm.
The seat was declared a Conservative hold just after 2:30pm on Friday afternoon.
Watch ITV News’ live General Election coverage below: