Douglas Ross MP relieved after close call in general election
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RELIEVED Moray MP Douglas Ross admitted he thought he was a "goner" at one stage before hanging on to his Moray seat by just 513 votes.
"I felt quite positive during the campaign but I did notice a pick up in the SNP vote in the last few days and I watched the exit poll and nationally it had a very big majority for the Conservatives and I assumed we would be holding our own at least in Scotland.
"But then, when the Scotland (exit poll) result went up and it predicted the SNP winning 55 seats, I said there was absolutely no chance of me holding on.
"Krystle my wife had gone to bed, she wanted to get a wee bit of sleep as we have a nine-month-old who obviously keeps us up and I was on my own.
"I was obviously elated with the predicted 80 majority for the Conservatives nationally but when it then predicted 55 seats for the SNP, that's when the BBC said there was a 99 per cent chance of losing the seat to the SNP and a one per cent chance for Conservative and that sounded pretty conclusive."
Mr Ross paid tribute to SNP rival Laura Mitchell moments after the result was announced.
He said: "Laura has fought a very good campaign and got a really big increase in her vote and she should be proud of that."
As one of only a handful of Conservative MPs left in Scotland, Mr Ross played down speculation that he might even be offered a job in Boris Johnson's cabinet.
"I've literally walked off stage saving one job I didn't think I was going to, so I am not looking for another job at the moment.
"I've got an awful lot of good colleagues who were seeking re-election and sadly some of them haven't been successful."
Mr Ross said he felt genuine pride in being able to continue to serve as MP for his home area.
"My polling station was my old school (Alves) and it will be my son's primary school. Since 2007 I have represented Moray either as a councillor, MSP or MP and to think after 12 years that was going to come to an end, there was a lot of emotion going through my head."
With a Tory majority at Westminster, Mr Ross said getting Brexit done was important.
"The one thing people said on the doorsteps was they just wanted it done, whether they voted leave or remain. There will be others who say they want another referendum but now there is a clear majority I think we get Brexit sorted and move on."
