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It would appear that Gordon Brown is still Prime Minister for a short time. He'll have to face a confidence vote once Parliament resumes and presumably he'll fail to win it, at which point the Conservatives will have to buy off the Irish Unionists. Even that might not be sufficient to survive, we may well be looking at another election in August.

spot;1308504 wrote: It would appear that Gordon Brown is still Prime Minister for a short time. He'll have to face a confidence vote once Parliament resumes and presumably he'll fail to win it, at which point the Conservatives will have to buy off the Irish Unionists. Even that might not be sufficient to survive, we may well be looking at another election in August.


At the rate it's going a coalition with the BNP and UKIP might be sufficient

Bryn Mawr;1308507 wrote: At the rate it's going a coalition with the BNP and UKIP might be sufficient


The BNP had around 2000 votes in each of the first three returns, that's 5% give or take. It's a nasty lot but it's not a returned member. Party lists and national proportional representation would turn it into one though. It's a good reason to not have party lists and national proportional representation. Transferable votes maybe, party lists no.

With the voting farce, that is becoming apparent, with many hundreds shut out of the polling booths, could this force another election in the next few weeks?

G#Gill;1308511 wrote: With the voting farce, that is becoming apparent, with many hundreds shut out of the polling booths, could this force another election in the next few weeks?


Polling booths were empty at 07:15 when I voted :-3

Bryn Mawr;1308513 wrote: Polling booths were empty at 07:15 when I voted :-3


Maybe, Bryn. That was where you voted. It will be interesting to find out just how many polling stations closed their doors leaving hundreds still queueing to vote!! Also the farce of not having enough ballot papers ffs! Brewery, organising and p!ss up come to mind here. By the way, police have been called at Sheffield to try to move on unsuccessful voters in the pouring rain! There are reports coming in from several other towns in the country where people have been turned away without being able to vote!

It's all very well saying that the polling stations have been open since 7 am but a lot of people are working and unable to get to the polls till the evening. Some people have queued for well over an hour, then been turned away at 10pm! It's a farce!

Peter Robinson out!

The Ulster First Minister has lost his seat

Bryn Mawr;1308521 wrote: Peter Robinson out!

The Ulster First Minister has lost his seat


That earlier scandal obviously did him no good at all!

G#Gill;1308520 wrote: Maybe, Bryn. That was where you voted. It will be interesting to find out just how many polling stations closed their doors leaving hundreds still queueing to vote!! Also the farce of not having enough ballot papers ffs! Brewery, organising and p!ss up come to mind here. By the way, police have been called at Sheffield to try to move on unsuccessful voters in the pouring rain! There are reports coming in from several other towns in the country where people have been turned away without being able to vote!

It's all very well saying that the polling stations have been open since 7 am but a lot of people are working and unable to get to the polls till the evening. Some people have queued for well over an hour, then been turned away at 10pm! It's a farce!


All I can say is that the people who man the polling stations have no room for manoeuvre. The ballot boxes must be sealed at 22:00 and they would be inviting legal comeback and a null vote is they changed that.

If you are concerned about voting and want to be sure of doing so then don't turn up at the last moment.

Totally agree that running out of papers is inexcusable.

G#Gill;1308522 wrote: That earlier scandal obviously did him no good at all!


Still something of a shock - maybe gmc will get his wish yet.

Five results are in and Labour have taken the first three.

Peter Lake;1308525 wrote: Five results are in and Labour have taken the first three.


Don't you mean 'holds' their existing seat?

ITV show Lab=10, Con=3, LD=1 Oth=8

Kingswood - Conservative gain, over 9% swing to Conservatives.

G#Gill;1308529 wrote: Kingswood - Conservative gain, over 9% swing to Conservatives.


Second of the night - and one to PC

G#Gill;1308529 wrote: Kingswood - Conservative gain, over 9% swing to Conservatives.
I am delighted more than words can say and so is the wife. Our hearty congratulations to our friend Chris Skidmore who has been our greatest ally.

Bryn Mawr;1308524 wrote: Still something of a shock -maybe gmc will get his wish yet.


No, Gordon's back

Bryn Mawr;1308533 wrote: No, Gordon's back


With an increased majority yet!

3% swing to Labour

Bryn Mawr;1308533 wrote: No, Gordon's back Are you staying up all night Bryn for the final result?

Peter Lake;1308535 wrote: Are you staying up all night Bryn for the final result?


I doubt as I'll survive that long - I was at work for 07:30 and it's been a long day.

A while long though

And you?

Bryn Mawr;1308537 wrote: I doubt as I'll survive that long - I was at work for 07:30 and it's been a long day.

A while long though

And you? I will be up to keep the wife company as she won't go to bed until the final whistle.

Peter Lake;1308538 wrote: I will be up to keep the wife company as she won't go to bed until the final whistle.


The very best of it then

Did you notice Lembit Opik is out - that must have been a huge swing!

Bryn Mawr;1308540 wrote: Did you notice Lembit Opik is out - that must have been a huge swing!A very odd result, that. Odd chap, odd way to leave politics.

The Conservative gains are in England. In the South West, Wales and Scotland people seem to have turned their backs on them, they're making no advance at all there.

Bryn Mawr;1308540 wrote: The very best of it then

Did you notice Lembit Opik is out - that must have been a huge swing! That's a shock as i thought that was a safe seat for them.

And Eastbourne goes Liberal from Conservative, by 3000? Good Lord.

Peter Lake;1308544 wrote: That's a shock as i thought that was a safe seat for them.


This is the BBC ticker for Lembit Opik, just to show the true horror of it:#

0225

A big victory for the Conservatives in Montgomeryshire - Lib Dem Lembit Opik has lost his seat. With a swing of more than 13%, Tory candidate Glyn Davies has won. The BBC's Nick Robinson says it's like an asteroid has hit Mr Opik - a result that's come from nowhere.

Peter Lake;1308544 wrote: That's a shock as i thought that was a safe seat for them.


13% swing - no idea what he did to deserve that!

What's such fun about British elections is how unpredictable so many of the constituency captures are. Local circumstances count for a lot, like Peter Robinson's career disintegrating on his wife's sword. Some time tomorrow there might be a regional pattern to be discerned but so far it's hard to find.

spot;1308551 wrote: What's such fun about British elections is how unpredictable so many of the constituency captures are. Local circumstances count for a lot, like Peter Robinson's career disintegrating on his wife's sword. Some time tomorrow there might be a regional pattern to be discerned but so far it's hard to find.


Too much interference from the expences scandal etc

Big joke when Cameron said his campaign had been a positive one with no knocking of the other parties.

I notice one of the numerous offspring of that disgustingly unprincipled hedonist James Goldsmith has become Conservative MP for Richmond. One can only hope he shows at least a hint of the integrity his father so totally lacked though I'm not holding my breath. Perhaps Private Eye will keep us informed about Young Bovril's wayward progress.

We also have a Green Member in Brighton. Given the things they get up to round those parts I can't say I'm surprised.

Margaret Hodge 24,628, Nick Griffin 6,620. Score one for the angels.

Well, well, well...Truro/Falmouth and Camborne/Redruth seats now Conservative instead of Liberal Democrat.

theia;1308585 wrote: Well, well, well...Truro/Falmouth and Camborne/Redruth seats now Conservative instead of Liberal Democrat.


I was really shocked at the Camborne/Redruth result. Ours are not in yet, waiting for Isles of Scilly, I expect theirs are on the helicopter I can hear flying in now.

Betty Boop;1308586 wrote: I was really shocked at the Camborne/Redruth result. Ours are not in yet, waiting for Isles of Scilly, I expect theirs are on the helicopter I can hear flying in now.


I was shocked at both, Betty...very close results though. It'll be interesting to hear yours

theia;1308587 wrote: I was shocked at both, Betty...very close results though. It'll be interesting to hear yours


Lunchtime, 12.30pm they are predicting.

It's clear labour do not have a mandate to rule in england and the tories do not have a mandate to rule in scotland. It's really going to bring the west lothian question to the forefront i.e. should scottish mp's vote on issues that only affect england like education and nhs reforms. I would say no they most definitely shouldn't. we used to get pissed off at changes to laws and getting thinghs foisted on us because of something in England. Still happens, the most recent being the home report packs which were brought in because of the situation in england and are totally unnecessary in scotland because of the different legal systems.

posted by spot.

The Conservative gains are in England. In the South West, Wales and Scotland people seem to have turned their backs on them, they're making no advance at all there.


You have no idea how much people hate the tories up here. It's a case of who is the least worst and will keep the tories out. Funnily enoigh sciots conservatives all think PR is a great idea, it's the only way they get seats in the scottish parliament.

George Galloway out - came in a distant third

its 2:30 there, is your voting not finished yet?

Odie;1308638 wrote: its 2:30 there, is your voting not finished yet?


The voting finished at 10 o'clock last evening. It's the counting by hand that takes the time.

There are still a few more results to come in, and also the postal votes have to be taken into account.

gmc;1308643 wrote: The voting finished at 10 o'clock last evening. It's the counting by hand that takes the time.




wow, it does take a long time there eh?

G#Gill;1308644 wrote: There are still a few more results to come in, and also the postal votes have to be taken into account.


good grief!

so how do things look so far?

Odie;1308649 wrote: wow, it does take a long time there eh?



good grief!

so how do things look so far?


A hung parliament. I get my hopes up and then remember they don't mean from the tyburn tree. We are in the middle of a major constitutional crisis that will hopefully result in meaningful change.

gmc;1308680 wrote: A hung parliament. I get my hopes up and then remember they don't mean from the tyburn tree. We are in the middle of a major constitutional crisis that will hopefully result in meaningful change.




I've never trusted any politician here, they promise to do everything, once elected......bingo!

They then make up new rules.:-5:-5

Well I'm delighted that our snivelling, expense grabbing-then repaying, two-faced, self serving MP has been hoicked out of his seat! Brilliant............:-6

Imladris;1308715 wrote: Well I'm delighted that our snivelling, expense grabbing-then repaying, two-faced, self serving MP has been hoicked out of his seat! Brilliant............:-6 I understand your joy as we have had the same result in our constituancy. Our Labour mp has held his seat for nineteen years only to lose it by a 9.4 % swing to the Conservative candidate who stood for the first time.

I've just written to the Electoral Commission:To quote your website, "Elections in Great Britain are run on a constituency by constituency basis. This means verified results are not collected centrally."

That's not adequate. There ought to be a single full list of the votes cast for each candidate in all constituencies. Other than obfuscation I can think of no reason at all why such a list should not be made available as soon as the counts have concluded, with an interim list if some constituencies have a delayed process. I can't think of anyone but the Electoral Commission who would be capable of demanding the publication of such a list. Please do so.

spot;1308864 wrote: I've just written to the Electoral Commission:To quote your website, "Elections in Great Britain are run on a constituency by constituency basis. This means verified results are not collected centrally."

That's not adequate. There ought to be a single full list of the votes cast for each candidate in all constituencies. Other than obfuscation I can think of no reason at all why such a list should not be made available as soon as the counts have concluded, with an interim list if some constituencies have a delayed process. I can't think of anyone but the Electoral Commission who would be capable of demanding the publication of such a list. Please do so.


I saw the head of the electoral commission being interviewed over this. they have been advocating reform or some time, as she put it, they don't make the law parliament does. They have to do as told.