UK Election thread 2008

I'll be posting updates throughout the night.

Turnout has been very good from my sources, poll stations have reported an increase since 2004. London turnout is believed to be between 50-60% (which is good for non-general elections)

Politics Home:LIVE

BBC: Election 2008

Very unscientific exit poll here:

Most voters live in South London, Kent and Surrey.

Labour: 21%
Conservative: 35%
Chose not to vote: 11%
Liberal Democrat: 9%
BNP: 8%

Sample size so far - 170.

unofficial regional exit poll (Not 100%)

image source: http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/images/2008/05/01/brightbig.jpg

Before a single vote has been counted, a conservative blog is claiming Boris has won the London Mayor.

Point: Yes, I am sceptical. No vote has been counted, but the team do have top sources around London who point to exit polls and high turnout. Boris is send to be ahead on postal votes (which are opened early)

Where's Peter Snow with his swing-o-meter when you need him?



[edit on 1-5-2008 by citizen smith]

11.35pm he shall appear on BBC ONE

OMG!!

Rumour: National vote share, Labour 25%, Con 45%

Source: Daily Telegraph

[edit on 1-5-2008 by infinite]

First result;

Tamworth

Conservative Hold +1 (24)

Rumours;

Tories gain Chorley from Labour, one seat in Swansea

A bit of a kicking for labour if the projections turn out to be accurate.

It may not mean TOO much in terms of a general election, but it may show just how dissatisfied people are.

Brown may have his work cut out to turn this around...

Looks like Labour have had a serious slap (and not a day to soon) to bad this wasn't a general election, i suppose we don't have that long to wait though? unless Brown decides to do a Mugabe?

So far according to the BBC website Labour have lost more than two hundred and forty councillors \o/ they have even lost seats in the labour heartland's (Welsh valleys) Bevan & co would be rolling in their graves if they could see what an atrocious job Brown & co are doing

Didn't the BBC try to get rid of him? Or is that just for general elections?

Anyway, the Tories have done very well in the local elections. It seems Mr. Cameron has got his party into the position Labour was in back in 1995 - successful local elections, unpopular government.

But I can't help wondering to what extent people voted Conservative simply to give Labour a kicking rather than because they like Conservative policies. We shall see, I suppose.

All the commentators who use this to try to work out who will win the next general election are kidding themselves. People vote differently in both, turn outs at local elections are usually much lower and there are large parts of the UK (including ALL of Scotland and Northern Ireland) who didn't vote at all, as well as many council seats that weren't up for grabs.

The next two years will be absolutely crucial for both the Conservatives and Labour - it will be this period more than any other that determines who'll be standing on the steps of Number Ten and who'll be heading off for retirement.

The London Evening Standard has on its front page that boris is mayor

www.thisislondon.co.uk...

If true (results not expected to be confirmed until midnight-ish) then tory hopes for the next election may depend on what he does in office.

A brutal couple of days for labour.

well, boris won it.

Bit of a kick in the nuts for broon

His competance remains to be seen.

boris, that is...

reply to post by budski

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What has amazed me is how Labour still can't seem to accept that the vast majority of British people despise them. They have no mandate to continue governing and Gordon Brown never had one in the first place. They seem absolutely bemused as to why people hate them so much because they still think the British people are too dumb to see all of the hidden taxes and the vast amounts of money being squandered by Labour.

I can tell you, as a small business owner in the West Midlands, that this part of the nation at least is on the edge of revolting in a very direct way. All you have to do is read the hundreds of comments left by oridinary people on sites like www.sky.com/news to realise the level of absolute anger towards this pathetic socialist government.

Labour have robbed us of our democracy, destroyed our economy, sent millions of people (myself included) into horendous debt through the criminal student loan and fees system (before any ignorant fool starts arguing about 'getting in debt is your own fault' - I'm talking about student loans here - needed for education unless you are rich), abused our armed forces by stripping them to the bone and then asking them to do all of Labour's misguided dirty work, absolutely crippled our transport system (yet we still have to put up with inflation busting increases in fuel and public transport ticket prices), created an apathetic society in which social disorder and crime in rampant (despite constantly roling out figures saying 'crime has fallen' - you dumb asses, most people just don't bother reporting most crime anymore so of course 'recorded crime' has fallen), and they have let uncontrolled immigration rip the heart out of our nation (I must add I'm not anti-immigration, but it must be controlled).

Brown and Labour - you are looking at a real, violent revolt on the streets if you keep up your arrogant, anti-democratic, draconian ways. The simple message from real people is 'Get the hell out now, before we force you out!'.

Well, they do actually have a mandate... there's no constitutional or legal requirement to hold a general election when a party leader changes whilst in said party is in office. The mandate flows from the manifesto and the MPs, not the Prime Minister. I know a lot of people would like an election, though.

It'll be interesting to see how Boris goes about doing his new job... does anyone know if he'll be stepping down as MP for Henley? I doubt he can run London AND represent his constituents at the same time. Mind you, some do try to do that (Alex Salmond, for instance, who's the First Minister of Scotland and an MP).

I believe he has stated that he will be stepping down as an MP, Not particularly a bad idea given the mess he has to sort out tbh

What do people excited about these results actually think is going to change in terms of your quality of life? Even if it was a general election!

I'd be interested to know and what you’re basing these changes that would happen on?

wow.

Conservaties win... no wonder this isnt being reported in American News...

Acording to that picture...


The COnseeratives(torries?) can all pop and drink some champain...

And the Libs (laubor) are in Panic mode...

I guess people are tired of living in Londonstan..

reply to post by TKainZero

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"Londonstan"?? What's that supposed to mean? Do you even know what you're talking about?

And, fyi, the Conservatives are about as right-wing as the Democrats are in the US.

Now back to talking with adults...

For all the good Labour did in the UK (repairing the Conservative mess, mainly with the economy and the Northern Ireland peace process), I can't help but wonder if a change of government would be good for the UK. The only problem is who to put in after Labour - they're all kind of weak.

Oh well, I guess time will tell.