Made history to become of political properties

“People are really worried about health and what is going on at Kent and Canterbury Hospital,” she said. “They are worried about the threats to mental health services and want access to them. Social care was another massive issue that came up time and again.

“Elsewhere people who are ill, who will never get better, are being made to undergo constant reassessment to get keep getting benefits.

“We saw a lot of tears on the doorstep.”

She adds that the debate over Brexit, which she opposed, was another factor since Sir Julian supported leaving the EU while the constituency narrowly voted to remain.

“People are genuinely worried by the hard Brexit Sir Julian supports. Brexit will have an effect on the Canterbury economy and it’s a potential disaster for students.

“Numerous local businesses are dependant on tourists and our whole economy is dependant on our relationship with Europe. If people are put off or find the country unfriendly, they’ll stop coming here.”

On Canterbury’s most thorny issue – housing – she is unequivocal: “We need housing, but it needs to be properly affordable and we need social housing. Affordable, however, isn’t the market price.”

Rosie is keen to stress her ordinariness, talking about her life as a single mum on tax credits. She admits to liking Coronation Street and Big Brother, while her musical tastes include Jay Z, Beyoncé and Adele. She even attended a Take That concert on Sunday night assuming she was probably not going to win.

The fact that she did win turned Ms Ordinary into one of hottest properties in politics. She has been the subject of numerous national newspaper and television reports.

Her phone does not stop ringing throughout the interview. “Oh, this’ll be the House of Commons, I better get it...oh, this is another Labour MP who has just been elected...i don’t who that is...this’ll be the House of Commons again.”

After about 30 minutes, I sense she has other things to move on to. People begin arriving, swelling her entourage. A large man in glasses sits down near us. Then an assortment of greyhaired men arrive and begin milling around the table we are sitting at.

Then the phone goes again. Yes, life is going to be very different for Rosie Duffield from here on in – and for Canterbury and Whitstable.

Rosie Duffield prepares to take her place on the opposition benches on Tuesday