Good Luck UK! (my election good wishes)...

[AccidentalVeg]

I have no idea what will happen. Okay maybe a small idea. Blair will get back in but I really hope he stays for a day and then disappears leaving Brown in charge.

Here's hoping.

Anyway. Good luck doods. I know Blair getting back in is not as bad as Bush getting back in but in any case I hope you get the government you want.

d

[Loki]

I went out with my brother to vote, and we've both voted Lib Dem. We're in a marginal constituency, and my bro has encouraged his friends to add a splash of yellow to this red/blue constituency.

I can see what you mean. I'm very much a "Labour In - Blair Out" person. But I've gone for the Lib Dems, and i believe that they deserve a few seats. Besides, the reason why they are so low down is because many people believe that a Lib Dem vote is a wasted vote. Well, I'm throwing my weight in and voting for who I want to, not one of t'other two.

Anyway, I read in the newspaper today (has anyone seen the front cover of the sun and the mirror, by the way?) that in the 70's, graffitti was found saying "Don't vote - It only encourages the b*stards!" I find that quite amusing!

[berrykat]

I hope Blair won't get in but mostly because it will make my dear old granny very happy!

[AccidentalVeg]

Most folks I know are voting Lib Dem. I predict Blair will get back in by a slim and very pointed margin that will read as less of a mandate than a warning. He will suffer for his rush to war. It might not take him down but it will signal a change of feeling within the party that will hopefully have him stepping down in disgrace. He broke the people's trust with this stupid war and he should pay. He will become the John Major of Labour.

Just my opinion.

d

[Loki]

I reckon LAbour will win, albeit with a diminished majority. There will be a swing towards the lib dems and the tories.

In my own constituency, Lancaster & Wyre, i reckon that the Tories will take it. I've seen hundreds of Tory advocation posters up. The young vote seems to be favouring Labour, although myself and my younger brother have mobilised a small army of Lib Dem voters.

[LudwigB]

I second AV. Good luck and give your PM what he desperately needs (we all know what that is), and if we're lucky maybe the change of leadership will cut down to size a few egos on this side of the Atlantic.

Stupid yank question: Loki, you mentioned red, blue, and yellow. Which parties get which colors in the UK? (i'm guessing LD's are yellow).

[Loki]

Lib Dems are yellow, labour are red and conservative are blue. Their websites are themed accordingly:

Labour (http://www.labour.org.uk)
Conservatives (http://www.tory.org.uk)
Liberal Democrats (http://www.libdems.org.uk)

[Loki]

Oh, and the polls have closed, and Labour are projected to win, with a diminished majority of 66 seats.

unfortunately, the lib dems are only projected to gain 2 seats. I hope the exit polls aren't very accurate.

[Jobey]

Things are looking suprising good for the tories so far :eek: Labour look like winning with a significantly reduced majority.
I voted Green in a close run Lab-Con seat. I really don't want the tories in but can't bring myself to vote tactically. I think its currently being recounted after it was claimed conservative snatched it. Exciting.
Im loving the BBC coverage though, that blonde haired tory Boris is a total legend and the banter with Paxman and co is classic :lol: We should have elections more often!
John Snow with his swingometer and the CGI 'race to number 10' is too good :D

[Jobey]

I voted Green in a close run Lab-Con seat. I really don't want the tories in but can't bring myself to vote tactically. I think its currently being recounted after it was claimed conservative snatched it. Exciting.

Well, its been recounted and it's gone to Labour. Just. :sweat:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/328.stm

[Loki]

I'm staying up to watch the coverage! lancaster & Wyre still hasn;t been called. I'm hoping it goes from red to blue. There are plenty of tory posters up round here, so it should go! I'd much prefer the lib dems, but in this constituency, it's aeither labour or tories, and though i voted lib dem, I really wnat to see labour's majority diminish, and if they lose lancaster & wyre, I'll b happy, even if it is to filthy tories.

[AccidentalVeg]

Doods. It is sooooo late where you are!

I sent my friends in Scotland to bed 2 hours ago.

That's too bad about LibDems not getting more seats.

Your election will never approach the crushing sadness of my last one here in the states.

*sigh*

d

[AccidentalVeg]

My god. Does Tony Blair look like a frightened old hag or what?

Check it out. From the front page of the Beeb site.

[Loki]

Lancaster & wyre has just been announced. The tories have snatched it. this means that labour's majority is diminished. unfortunately, it also means that we have to put up with ben Wallace, the bloody tory prick!

Lib dems got about 10% of the vote eventually.

[AccidentalVeg]

Two parties BAD. Three parties GOOD. I think it came out as well as it could have. Tony had to win but he needed a bitch slap. I think he got it. You'll have to stare at his mad countenance for a few more years and he may just snap one day (he looks iffy even on a good day) but at least the "toerags" are not totally in charge. Sorry about Lancs going to toerags. That blows.

So. Yeah. Decent Overall Result. It's gripped. It's sorted.

Onward.

[Ilikequorn]

County Durham was mostly Lib Dem. It was a traditional Labour county until now. I voted Lib Dem because I believe in them more than Labour.

Why is a vote wasted if it's for Lib Dem? Aren't people supposed to vote for the party they agree with, thats the whole idea of democracy. The Lib Dems will probably never get in precisely because of this attitude. As Mr Blair said "If you value it vote for it."

[MrFalafel]

Bah! Wales used to have zero conservative MPs and now it has 3! This is not good.

[Dirty Martini]

So... DH says that even though Blair won his seat, that doesn't mean he's guaranteed the prime minister position. He said that the torys have to win a majority of seats for Blair to maintain his PM spot... but that doesn't make sense.

:help:

[berrykat]

wow i'm one confused yank :lol: so did blair win or didn't he?

[MrFalafel]

Blair is just another MP. He has to win his local seat in order to stay in Parliment. He won that seat.

The party with the most MPs in Parliment is the party of the majority and then gets to form a government, including selecting the Prime Minister. Traditionally this is the leader of the the party with the most MPs.

Tony Blair is the leader of the Labour party. Labour has the most MPs in parliment. Tony Blair is therefore the Prime Minister.

I think what may have been referred to is the fact that Blair has said this is the last election he will stand for and has all but said he'll be handing over more and more power decision making to Gordon Brown the Chancellor who's credited with giving the UK a very good economy in difficult circumstances. So, in essence, Blair has acknowledged that his time is up and that he has lost the trust/faith of the electorate and has therefore but Brown up as 'defacto' leader of the Labour party while retaining the PM role for himself.

[Dirty Martini]

wow. thanks for that explanation, mrfalafel.

that makes sense actually. :yes:

[LudwigB]

that makes sense actually. :yes:
Yes it does. It's much more clear-cut than American national elections.

I envy you Brits, Blair or no. At least you guys don't have gerrymandering, so you get to choose your candidates rather than the other way around.

[MrFalafel]

I've only been a UK citizen for a year now and have had to participate in 2 elections. It's amazing how simple it is here compared to California.

For yesterday's election, I simply walked into the school which was my local polling station, showed them my voter card and they crossed checked it with a list of names/addresses and put a tick next to my name. I was then handed a slip if paper and motioned towards a few booths which were simply a table with a curtain around in for privacy with a pencil hanging from a peice of string.

On the ballot, I had a choice of about 8 candidates from the various parties (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, Socialist Worker, Plaid Cymru and a Legalise Cannibis candidate). I simply put an X next to the candidate of my choice, folded the slip of paper and put into a box.

These votes were then counted in the balloting area once the polls closed by the volunteers from all of the political parties who were monitoring the polling station all day.

Plus, the candidates have limits on how much can be spent on election campaigning so we aren't bombarded by ads and crap for months on end prior to the election. A refreshing change from the US elections I've experienced in the past.

[Loki]

I like Uk elections. jeremy paxman makes them interesting, and the party election broadcasts are quite cool.

I think tony blair got his "bloody nose" His majority is diminished.

[Amy SF]

Just curious: How much support do the Greens have in the UK?