It is difficult to tell what people are most nervous about at the National Tennis Centre – a Conservative win, Katie Hopkins staying in the country, or that the humble coffee supplies will run out before the count is over.
Tonight’s exit polls predicting a Conservative victory seem to have evoked a sense of anxiety amongst some of tonight’s candidates across these two constituencies.
Sarah Jayne Judge, Labour candidate for Woodhouse Park, said she felt like she had been “slapped round the face by a fish” by the predictions.
She said: “Canvassing is one thing and it’s easy to think that your party will be safe but then the polls have said something completely different.
“It looks like we’ll wake up tomorrow with a Conservative Government and with Katie Hopkins still in the country!”
The concern for David Jones, standing as MP for the Green Party, is that tonight’s count produces ‘anything but a majority’ for the Conservatives.
Not disheartened by Manchester’s notoriety as a hard red nut to crack, Mr Jones was encouraged by this year’s surging support for the Greens.
He paid thanks to the positive publicity for the party ‘snowballing’ ever since Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, became the first Green MP in 2010.
Conservative sources have demonstrated a general consensus of quiet confidence, however.
Stephen Mchugh, Conservative candidate for Woodhouse Park, said: “We’ve been confident long before tonight’s polls – our own statistics have shown a different story to what has been shown in the media for months.
“It’s all down to publicity; it’s never been in any doubt for us.”
Glued to the refreshment table, Silly Sir Oink-A-Lot, Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate for the Sharston Ward, seemed more concerned about dwindling caffeine levels than dwindling voters.
“I’m neither left nor right,” he said.
“Whatever’s interesting is interesting.”
