Thursday, 6 May 2010

Election Live Blogging

05:42 The BBC have given a final prediction. With 500 seats announced. Hung Parliament, with neither the Conservative plus th Unionists or Labour plus the Lib Dems making a majority. This is a rare first indeed. We shall see what happens over the next few days. I'm signing out. Will try to get a few minutes of sleep.

04:54 Labour have begun to slowly tear themselves apart... And Charles Clarke is out.

04:44 My guy won for the seat I voted. So that's something.

04:22 I'm still here. Still listening. Still falling behind I'm on 150, the nation is on 350. Although frankly I'm on the same sort of predictions.

New Predicted Government: Conservative (Hung)

Labour: Current seats- 64, Predicted seats- 270
Conservative: Current seats- 58, Predicted seats- 288
Lib Dems: Current seats- 10, Predicted seats- 62
DUP: Current seats- 6, Predicted seats- 8
SNP: Current seats- 3, Predicted seats- 7
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 5
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 3, Predicted seats- 3
SDLP: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 2

03:23 Still going on. I'm about 131 seats behind here. But the overall story is about right - still looking like a hung Parliament.

New Predicted Government: Conservative (Hung)

Labour: Current seats- 48, Predicted seats- 272
Conservative: Current seats- 37, Predicted seats- 287
Lib Dems: Current seats- 4, Predicted seats- 61
DUP: Current seats- 6, Predicted seats- 8
SNP: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 7
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 5
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 3
SDLP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 2

02:51 Here's where I am now, it's still all too close to call

New Predicted Government: Conservative (Hung)

Labour: Current seats- 38, Predicted seats- 279
Conservative: Current seats- 21, Predicted seats- 280
Lib Dems: Current seats- 3, Predicted seats- 59
DUP: Current seats- 5, Predicted seats- 8
SNP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 7
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 5
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 4
SDLP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 2

02:26 Am dropping my stats - just can't keep up. But definitely looking like a hung Parliament right now, with no increase for the Lib Dems. Very odd compared to the polls.

02:17 Labour hold Glasgow C, Swansea East, Airderie & Shotts, Bishop Auckland, Livingstone, Cumbernauld, Halton, Barnsley Central and win Glasgow East Conservative hold Worcestershire Mid, Devon East, Charnwood, Hertford, Paisley, Kettering, Castle Point and gain Aberconwy, SNP hold Dundee East, Angus

02:02 Conservative hold Guildford, Newbury, Conservative gain Loughborough, Labour hold Inverclyde, Islwyn, Kilmarnock, Lanark & Hamilton East, Newport East

New Predicted Government: Conservative (Hung)

Labour: Current seats- 29, Predicted seats- 279
Conservative: Current seats- 10, Predicted seats- 281
Lib Dems: Current seats- 3, Predicted seats- 58
DUP: Current seats- 4, Predicted seats- 8
SNP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 7
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 5
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 4
SDLP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 2

01:43 This is madness - how can I possibly keep up... Conservative gain Battersea, SDLP hold Belfast South, Conservative hold Christchurch, Clacton, Labour hold Clywd South, Dundee West, East Lothian, Falkirk, Gedling, Glenrothes DUP hold East Antrim, SNP hold Na H-Eileanan An lar

At that point:

New Predicted Government: Conservative (Hung)

Labour: Current seats- 24, Predicted seats- 272
Conservative: Current seats- 7, Predicted seats- 288
Lib Dems: Current seats- 3, Predicted seats- 58
DUP: Current seats- 4, Predicted seats- 8
SNP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 7
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 5
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 4
SDLP: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 2

01:32 Labour hold City of Durham

01:29 Lib Dem hold Fife

01:27 Sinn Fein hold Belfast West, Labour hold East Kilbride

01:25 Labour hold Vale of Clywd.

Now looking at a Conservative led hung Parliament - just

New Predicted Government: Conservative (Hung)

Labour: Current seats- 11, Predicted seats- 243
Conservative: Current seats- 4, Predicted seats- 315
Lib Dems: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 62
DUP: Current seats- 3, Predicted seats- 7
SNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 6
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 6
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 3
SDLP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 2, Predicted seats- 2

01:20 Coming through thick and fast. Labour hold Ynys Mon, Sedgefield. Conservative hold Filton & Bradley Stoke. Independent gain in North Down.

01:12 Labour hold Easington and Motherwell, Lib Dem hold Tobay

01:05 Conservative hold Broxbourne, Labour Hold Rutherglen

01:03 Conservative gain Kingswood off Labour

00:59 DUP hold Lagan Valley, Plaid Cymru take Arfon off Labour

00:50 Labour hold Darlington & Durham North, Lib Dem hold Thornbury & Yate

00:47 Alliance win Belfast East - that's a historic win for Alliance, and the loss of the leader of the DUP. Incredibly shocking.

00:42 DUP hold North Antrim

00:38 Sinn Fein hold West Tyrone

00:19 More stories of scuffles and voters turned away. The Electoral Commission have announced a thorough review.

00:17 Just desperate for some more news - we're all on tenterhooks waiting from some marginal results.

00:16 Anyone there?

23:55 Tomorrow's headlines. Tiny Conservative win. Increased turnout. Voters turned away from polls.

23:41 Labour hold Sunderland Central

23:30 The pound is strengthening following early results which may indicate a Tory win.

23:25 Labour Hold Washington & Sunderland West

23:24 We're drifting around the country on the Radio, with no results

23:11 Hariett Harmon is already talking up voting reform. Is she worried about losing?

22:51 Labour hold Houghton & Sunderland South.

Significant swing, though which would indicate a Conservative Government.

New Predicted Government: Conservative

Labour: Current seats- 1, Predicted seats- 212
Conservative: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 343
Lib Dems: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 65
DUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 9
SNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 5
Sinn Fein: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 5
Plaid Cymru: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 4
SDLP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 3
UUP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
Respect: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
People's Voice: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
Independent Community Health Concern: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 1
UKIP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Green: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
BNP: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0
Others: Current seats- 0, Predicted seats- 0

22:50 Houghton & Sunderland South are the first to announce.

22:44 Arnie has called David Cameron to congratulate him - a little forward but it's good to know he cares.

22:38 I lied about Northern Ireland - they are coming in tonight. Some of the parties could well be the holding the balance of power tomorrow morning.

22:35 Houghton & Sunderland South crossing their fingers to be the first result...

22:25 Stories of massive queues at polling stations and voters being turned away. I hesistate to say they should have gone earlier, and the turning away is shocking - anyone would think we're in some tin pot dictatorship. Great news for democracy, mind.

22:23 No news yet. But I have brought the cheese plate into the room. I'm thinking a bite of Stilton blue for every Tory gain, and yellow Cheddar for the Lib Dems.

22:14 The digital media are a bit obsessed with what happens with a hung Parliament, and what happens next to Gordon Brown. It's beginning to get a little boring.

22:08 By the way I'm blogging with the aid of the BBC - listening to Radio 4 and watching the website. Thanks Auntie

22:05 The exit polls are indicating a hung Parliament, which sounds about right, but they're also predicting a fall in seats for the Lib Dems! Lets see...

4 comments:

TomS said...

Ben, you asked me about American coverage of the British elections. Unless one has access to cable news networks (and there are still a significant number of people, mostly older, who don't subscribe to cable)it is very poorly covered. I am fortunate I can listen to BBC on Public Radio.

Foolish '70's film-lover that I am, I wondered how Glenda Jackson fared......

Runs Like A Gay said...

I'm going to precis the full results over the weekend - still haven't gone to bed so that's a priority.

But for Glenda you may have to wait until Sunday morning...

Alex Constantin said...

wow, the British elections are so complicated :P

i'm such a curse for the cities/countries I live in. Did you see what happened in Athens once I left? :)

anyways, I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Runs Like A Gay said...

They're not the easiest to get your head round.

Greece is having some serious problems right now, but with a deficit running at 125% of the GDP it's going to take some strong measures to solve it, especially in a country like Greece with it's high rates of public sctor employees. I hope they can sort things out as quickly and painlessy as possible.