Simon Wright joined Norman Lamb to work on his campaign to win North Norfolk in 2005, where he swept to victory. In 2006 the former teacher was selected to run for the Liberal Democrats here in Norwich South and began his campaign to win the seat from Charles Clarke. The Liberal Democrats had narrowed Charles Clarke’s majority to around 3,000 votes, but came second here in 2005. Simon Wright threw himself at the task and worked hard with his team to get the break-through he got. 

A handwritten letter from Simon Wright was delivered to many homes in south Norwich on the eve of the election. In it he explained how he is “determined to fight for a better deal for our area. Over the last few years, I’ve campaigned against Labour’s post office closures, fought to preserve green spaces and called for more investment in local schools. As MP, I would have more influence over the issues that matter to all of us locally…”

He’s pledged to be a fulltime MP, not taking on other employments while serving in Westminster, unlike his predecesor.

When asked what you get from a Lib Dem constituency MP, Baroness Shirley Williams, who came to support Simon Wright’s campaign, said: “Lib Dem MPs work their guts out…, partly because they know they need to work hard to hold their seats… If you’re the Norman Lambs of this world… you work yourself silly, because you’ve got to show people that’s what an MP ought to be and that’s what you are.”

Simon Wright correctly predicted it would be a photo-finish between the Lib Dems and Labour on the night. Charles Clarke had put £10 on at the bookies to win, but this time lost out. But Simon Wright only has a very slim majority, something which traditionally makes an MP very hard working on its own.

Billed as a four way marginal, it was always going to be close. After a lot of checking and re-checking, the announcement finally came just before 5 am. Simon Wright won the seat for the Liberal Democrats ahead of the former Home Secretary Charles Clarke, who’s been the Labour MP here for the past 13 years. The Liberal Democrats won 13,650 votes to Labour’s 13,960. Speaking after the result, Simon Wright said this is one of the most significant wins of the night:

Simon Wright interview

Charles Clarke was gracious in his defeat, adding he was sad not to be able to continue to represent Norwich South. He said: ”I believe tremendous things have been done under Labour. It has been of great pride to me to fight for the city of Norwich and I am very proud at what I have achieved.”

Charles Clarke audio

The other surprise was the Greens who came fourth behind the Conservatives. The Greens had hoped to win this seat, their second target behind Brighton, where they made history by electing Britain’s first Green MP. The Greens doubled their share of the vote to nearly 15%, which their candidate, Adrian Ramsay says this is proof that the Greens could win here in the future:

Adrian Ramsay audio

This morning’s result gives us Norfolk’s second Lib Dem MP. Norman Lamb (Norfolk North, Lib Dem) arrived to congratulate Simon Wright shortly after the result was announced. Against a backdrop of a possible hung Parliament, the Lib Dems could have a crucial role to play in the coming days, depending on the final outcome of the election.

On election night, row upon row of tables are set out. As the ballot boxes arrive, the counting starts in ernest. There are strict rules to stop you reporting what you see at this stage, even if you notice the votes for one candidate begin to pile up.

Milling around the edges are the candidates, their agents and some supporters, waiting for what seems like an eternity, for the result to be called. By now, it’s usually well past midnight. These are the people who’ve been knocking on doors, fielding questions, persuading floating voters and smiling for the cameras throughout the campaign. And for the majority, it’ll come to nothing.

Check the clock. It’s normally about 3am. As the last votes are counted, if you’re lucky, a press officer might tip you off. Otherwise, you wait alongside the candidates until the moment the result is announced on stage. The instant when all those hours, months, sometimes years of work are suspended. It’s a rare chance to see real life drama unfold.

There can only be one winner. The returning officer announces the person chosen to represent you in Parliament. Whatever your view of politics, this is our democratic process in action. This year the council’s press office has been inundated with media requests to be at tonight’s count. Norwich South is going to be close, and is attracting national attention. For regular updates, follow SNNews tonight on Twitter.

Last night over 200 people listened as the candidates for Norwich South were quizzed at Holy Trinty church. They faced questions from the very local (how they’d protect local businesses from big companies like Tesco) to the moral (their views on assisted suicide.) Each of the main four – Charles Clarke (Lab), Antony Little (Cons) ,  Adrian Ramsay (Green) and Simon Wright (Lib Dem) – gave frank and candid answers, exposing their own reasons for entering into poilitics in the first place.

I watched them face students at the UEA last week at a similar hustings, where they deployed a certain amount of humour to try to win over the audience. Antony Little may have won the most laughs, but I think the Conservatives will find it hard to win here. But last night the candidates seemed willing to expose a little more of their own motivation for standing, especially when asked if power would corrupt them.

For Charles Clarke, “as a society we should be enabling every individual the chance to make the most of their abilities and build a better society.”. Antony Little said he had more power over people’s lives as a secondary school teacher than he’d probably ever have as an MP. Adrian Ramsay said: “I want to make a difference,.. reduce the gap between rich and poor… and enter into a more mature form of politics.” While for Simon Wright, it’s about getting a better deal for the community: “Being open, accountable and keeping in touch with people. If I do step out of line, come up to me and tell me.”

As one member of the audience commented afterwards, if your decision is based on these candidates alone, it’ll be a difficult choice to make. I tend to agree. Having heard what they have to say, Norwich South voters have four main candidates to choose from, each of whom would make an excellent constituency MP. They were all very persuasive. I only wish they’d take their hustings onto the street, so more members of the public could hear what they have to say. 

By next Thursday, all the weeks, months, sometimes years of work by these candidates will come to a head. South Norwich News will be at the count at Blackfriars Hall to see who comes out victorious. We’ll also be here over the next five years to keep tabs on whoever wins – maybe sometimes reminding them of what they said in the run up to Election 2010.

Shirley Williams gave her support to south Norwich’s Liberal Democrat candidate today, saying he stood a “good chance” of winning in Norwich South.

If Simon Wright wins, she added, we could slowly see Norfolk cracking into a 3 party county.

Shirley Williams said she hoped after this election, there’d be “a new kind of politics”, following the upsurge of interest in the Liberal Democrats.

On Nick Clegg, she described him as a “modest man who listens”…, “he’s himself, he’s human”… and a man who’s ”remarkably brave”, for sticking to his principles on issues such as the EU. She said the impact of the leaders’ debates had been “colossal”, as until then they had been the least known party with the least known leader.

She said it was time for change, saying the banks are “holding this country to hostage. You cannot ever a allow a special interest to hold a country to hostage.”

Baroness Williams, once a Labour MP and Cabinet Minister, explained what you can expect from a Liberal Democrat constituency MP: Shirley Williams audio

Last week’s hustings hosted by the Union of UEA Students saw the race for Norwich South described as a “four-way marginal” by the chair. Candidates know every vote counts for this seat in particular. Charles Clarke (Lab), Antony Little(Cons), Simon Wright (Lib Dem) and Adrian Ramsay (Green) took questions from an audience of over 200 students on subjects such as tuition fees, student housing and graduate jobs.

This week it’s the turn of the Christian community to question the four leading candidates. The organisers, Transforming Norwich, hope to give churchgoers a chance to ask the candidates questions which are important to people of faith. The meeting is also open to members of the public.

It’ll be chaired by the Archdeacon of Norwich Ven Jan Mcfarlane. She said: ”Christians take seriously their responsibility to vote and the candidates have recognised that they are a significant section of the electorate. We are looking forward to having the opportunity to ask the candidates searching questions about the way in which they hope to influence our local community in the coming months and years.”