It is now 8.46am on Friday morning and I have not yet been to bed!

I am delighted and humbled to have been elected as the MP for the Vale of Glamorgan and I want to thank everyone who voted, for whatever party. 

I will hold my first surgeries on Saturday morning in Barry (29 High Street), Cowbridge and Llantwit. As soon as the latter two locations are arranged, I will advise time and details later today. 

I want to pay tribute to the other candidates and thank them for the way in which the campaigns were run.  John Smith also needs to be recognised for his efforts on behalf of local constituents during his time as the MP. 

There are three key themes that I want to highlight at this time. 

The first is to note that I want to model my constituency work on that of the late Sir Raymond Gower.  It was clear over the last 5 years that no matter what Party people supported, they recalled Sir Raymond as a man who always helped constituents. 

Secondly, I want to win the Metrix Defence College for the Vale and will fight during the strategic defence review.  Metrix are happy with the Conservative position and we need to ensure that we seal the deal.

Finally, if Gordon Brown in still PM on Monday in a coalition with any other party, I think it will be an outrage.  Labour has clearly lost the election and I think it will be outrageous if Mr Brown is kept in office. 

Thank you all for your support. 

I wanted to use this opportunity before polling day to thank everyone for all the support I have received during the long run up to the campaign and during the last month. 

The issues have been varied; from local pot holes to the national debt.  All are important and matter. 

There were several hustings meetings, which gave us as candidates a chance to make our case and to local people to question and compare what each candidate offers and claims.  I enjoyed every hustings and all were well attended. 

The televised debates were a new phenomenon.  I find it strange that in the past David Cameron was criticised (unfairly I would say) for being image conscious, rather than policy heavy – naturally before the manifesto presentation.  Yet, one performance from Nick Clegg, in spite of a bagful of unpopular individual policies, seemed to propel him to the centre of the campaign agenda! 

Ken Clarke was a delight when he visited my good friend Marco on Barry Island and it seemed that our campaign team got bigger and bigger every day.  Our canvassing sessions in Barry were best attended but I specifically recall the one in Peterston , which turned out to be organised chaos, with so many turning up unexpectedly.  Our ‘team photo’ outside Baron Kinnock’s house showed that there were no no-go areas and is a great pic on the office wall!

However, above all, this election is about the future of our country.  When you wake up on Friday morning, we can either face 5 more years of Gordon Brown or look in a new and different direction with David Cameron. 

In view of the state of the country’s debt, a society that is wanting and public services that need to be reformed, I hope with every bone in my body that David Cameron is allowed to deliver his positive agenda, to make the Changes that we desperately need.

Ultimately, this is up to you. 

I hope that I can win your support.