“The exit polls are always wrong” said Richmond Park Labour candidate Sachin Patel as the count was underway.
Commenting on the prospective results, he said: “I literally don’t know what to expect. It’s exciting, it’s my first time. I’ll take it as it comes but I’m really proud of the campaign I’ve run.”
Mr Patel was keen to mention the honest and polite campaigning from all candidates in Richmond Park, which was picked up by the BBC after Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith and other candidates took to twitter to express their respect for each other.
During the run-up to the election, Mr Patel has regularly expressed his distaste for personal campaigns against other candidates, and has advocated for the focus on local issues and policy that has characterised Richmond Park this year.
“It just shows politics is about policy and not people and I think that’s what we slightly lose sometimes. The focus has been on a wholehearted campaign and we’ll see what happens come 4 o’clock-ish” Mr Patel said.
Mr Patel’s campaign has focused on young people, mental health and NHS issues, and he is proud of the impact he has already made by engaging with youth and students.
He said: “My goal has been to try to show people that there’s no barriers in politics and I’ve had people, especially students, phone me and message me saying they’ve seen me and now they want to do it.
“I want to show other people, working class people like ourselves, who aren’t elitist politicians, can get into politics themselves.”
As for his own future plans, Mr. Patel admitted he would take a couple of days to sleep, but ultimately intends to continue with his political endeavours.
