.....and (finally) they're off!

The worst kept secret in British politics was finally revealed today when the British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced 05/05/05 as the date for the coming British general election.

news.bbc.co.uk...

- so, here we go then.
Thankfully it's going to be a pretty short campaign. The polls have wobbled a little over the last few months but the 'poll of polls' (always the most balanced and best overall indicator) always show a decent Labour lead - so far this has lasted since 1992!

Anyone care to give their thoughts on the outcome?

Elsewhere I have already given my opinion as to what I think the result might be.
Labour to win by a majority of 130- 170 (ie the much the same or slightly down on 2001), Lib-Dems up to around 70 (a definite improvement and boost for them, mostly at tory expense) and tories down to about the 130 - 140 mark (ie Howard not getting the 200+ seats he is apparantly needing to keep his job beyond the poll).

Also there is the whole thing about the Lib-Dems 'decapitating' the tories; several senior tories are apparantly very vulnerable to the Lib-Dem challenge in their constituencies.
What do people think this will be?
Story of the night or damp squib?

oooooo..General Election......should be interesting

Well the polls say Labour are going to win, but then again on Sky News I believe they had a poll expert on saying that many of the polls could be wrong as they keep changing how they do the polls, and gave example of the past when the polls were completely wrong.

Labour looks like their going to win the election but the Tories..sorry I have to call them Conservatives now ...... the Conservatives could make a surprise victory although hell still hasn't frozen over.

Its like picking which hell you want to go to when you pick a political party, it'd like to see how the Conservatives are in power, see if they have secretly changed or are the same.

I wonder who your voting for sminkeypinkey

I wonder who your voting for sminkeypinkey

I wonder indeed!

The latest polls they had on the Beeb mostly had the Blair Tax Co ahead by a few points, but a Mori poll had the Tories ahead (although Mori only count those that said they definately will vote).

It all hinges on wether the Labour supporters will bother to actually go out and vote, as we all know the vast majority of Tories will make it to the polls.

Who is everyone supporting this year then?

Guys, guys, come on.

You must surely know that the choice a man makes in the polling booth is one only really known between him and his maker.

(By the way I totally agree, spot on stu, turnout will be the big deal.....

....and if I were Alistair Campbell himself I couldn't have arranged the start of campaign polling figures better!

There'll be nothing more likely to focus the Labour-leaning mind than a loud chorus over every UK news network saying the gap is not so big and the tories are not quite a laughable prospect. - even if the truth is they are - )



[edit on 5-4-2005 by sminkeypinkey]

the Conservatives could make a surprise victory

Not very likely though! Not until they find a real leader and start being more like labour. (Never)