16:06

David Lidington, the de facto deputy PM and a new convert to the Rory Stewart camp, was singing Stewart’s praises to the media as he went to vote.



Lidington said Stewart, the international development secretary, had “gone out and he’s told it straight as he sees things, and he’s not been afraid, ever, of going into areas of conversation that might be difficult”. Lidington said:

And if the Conservative party is going to form a good working majority in the Commons we’ve got to win back voters from both flanks that we’ve lost. We have to show there are no no-go areas anywhere in the country and anywhere in society for the Conservative party, and I think Rory’s campaign has demonstrated how we can set about doing that.

Asked if his man had the necessary 33 votes to proceed, Lidington said: “Well, I hope so. But I don’t know.”

Earlier, Stewart had said he also hoped to get the votes, but that it would be very close.