How new MP Will Quince is finding his feet in the corridors of power

So with an eight minute alert to go and vote in Parliament, he had two and a half minutes leeway – plenty.

Mr Quince was in his office working with one eye on the annunciator telling him when the vote was due.

To miss it was unforgivable.

With the Conservatives holding the slenderist of majorities, every vote counted.

And if you arrived late, the ornate wooden doors would be firmly and unceremoniously shut in your face.

So when the time came, Mr Quince hot-footed it down the stairs of the former Scotland Yard building, across the concourse of Portcullis House and to the escalator which would take him underground – in a passageway reminiscent of the Ministry of Magic – to the Commons.

But there was a hitch. More MPs than usual were queuing up for the escalator and seconds were ticking past.

Mr Quince made it to the voting lobby with just 30 seconds to spare.

“I must admit I did get a bit of a jog on at the end,” he confesses.

“It was not a good feeling.”

It was just another part of his huge learning curve as Colchester’s new MP.

He has also been kindly but firmly rebuked by the Speaker, John Bercow, for a lapse in etiquette in addressing a discussion in the chamber.

Mr Quince, 32, swept into Parliament on the political tide in the May elections.

The same tide took out the previous incumbent, veteran Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell after 18 years.

Mr Quince admits: “I reckon it will take about six months to be fully on top of things.”

Until then, it is just a matter of working hard, learning quickly and keeping smiling.

Mr Quince has come a long way since his first foray into politics which was, to be generous, underwhelming.

He was studying law at the University at Aberystwyth when he decided to stand in the Ceredigion County Council elections.

“What I didn’t realise was I was the only Conservative candidate in the whole county,” he said.

“The reason became clear when I got a total of 26 votes and ten of those were from people who had nominated me.

“There was a landslide for the Liberal Democrats.”

Will, irrepressibly positive, however, added: “It was a good way to cut your teeth though and it could only get better from there.

“And I met my wife, Elinor, there so lots of good things came out of it.”

He smiles, a boyish grin.

After moving to Colchester, he stood as the Conservative candidate in the 2010 General Election and was roundly beaten by Sir Bob.

Will’s indomitable positivity won through again, however.

He said: “I spoke to El and said I wanted to give it another go.

“I genuinely believed we could win, although I knew it would be a huge amount of work. It is all encompassing but I threw everything into it.”

Years of pounding the streets and working with numerous organisations – along with good political timing and support from helpers – reaped their rewards and Mr Quince was elected with a majority of 5,575.

Like all new MPs, he had to hit the ground running.

Mr Quince said: “You get handed a wallet when you win which contains details of the induction for being an MP.

“I arrived at Portcullis House at 9am on the Monday morning and was taken from room to room getting my security pass sorted out, getting an iPad, being told about the pension. It is just like starting any job.”

Three months in and he is already pushing hard for legislation to be introduced surrounding tougher sentences for knife crime, statutory leave for bereaved parents and more powers for the victims of nuisance neighbours.

He also has a place on the Transport Select Committee which, he believes, will be good for Colchester.

“Major investment in the A120 and the A12 is vital for Colchester.

“I think we can attract major businesses because of the transport infrastructure network,” he enthuses.

But while he is a newbie, he is, he says, not starstruck by rubbing shoulders with political heavyweights such as Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

“We are all together in the lobby going to vote. It is actually a good opportunity to speak to them.

“Jeremy is great. He asks me how Colchester Hospital is doing and I discuss matters with him.

“George is really approachable and so is David, although everyone wants to speak to the Prime Minister.

“I think it helps. You still have to write to them formally over issues but they may be more receptive if you have spoken to them directly.”

And that, he says, can only benefit Colchester.

“It feels incredible and overwhelming to be working here. I still have to pinch myself.

“It is really humbling to have been given this amazing opportunity and I am extremely grateful to Colchester residents.

“It is something you have been working for for so long and you immediately feel the weight of responsibility on your shoulders.

“They expect me to deliver and I will do my very best to do so.”