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A few minutes later, Mr Hardy tapped the e The room fell silent and everyone turned to face the town clerk

“Would the candidates please join me to check the spoilt ballot papers” A little ceremony Griff always enjoyed

After the three candidates and their agents had studied the forty-two spoilt papers, they all agreed that twenty-two of them were valid: 10 for Giles, 9 for Fisher, and 3 for Fletcher

“Let’s hope that’s an omen,” said Griff, “because as Churchill fah”

“Any surprises?” asked Seb when they returned to the floor

“No,” said Griff, “but I did enjoy one the town clerk rejected, Will your girlfriend in East Berlin be getting a postal vote?” Giles ed a smile “Back to work We can’t afford one et 1951 when Seb saved the day”

Hands began shooting up all around the roo had finished on that particular table An official then double-checked the figures before taking them up to the town clerk, who in turn entered the machine Giles could still reure on a ledger, and then three of his deputies checked and double-checked every entry, before he illing to declare the result

At 2:49 am, the town clerk walked back to the ain Theoff a table and rolling across the floor Mr Hardy waited until it had been picked up

“I, Leonard Derek Hardy, being the returning officer for the constituency of Bristol Docklands, declare the total number of votes cast for each candidate to be as follows:

Sir Giles Barrington

18,971

Mr Simon Fletcher

3,586

Major Alexander Fisher

18____”