A coalition has sprung up to lobby making sure votes in Selby on the day of the General Election to be counted that night.

Selby District Council chief executive and election returning officer Martin Connor had been planning to hold the count on Friday, meaning the outcome of the election would not be known until the afternoon at least. Similar plans were afoot at various councils across the country.

But MPs and prospective MPs have leapt to the defence of the Thursday-night count and set the wheels in motion to have it enshrined in law that it must begin within four hours of the polls closing.

The House of Lords is, however, still has to voted on this.

Selby’s current Labour MP John Grogan and prospective MP Conservative Nigel Adams were for once united in their support for a Thursday night count.

Mr Adams, who raised the issue with The Press, said: “At a time when interest and trust in politics is at such a low ebb it would be beneficial for politics of the counts were made on the night of the election.

Mr Grogan said: “I think counting the votes on the night is part of the democratic process and it’s the one time that people get really interested in politics and we should not have results dribbling out over a few days.”