The General Election - Who Are You Voting For?

[breadandcheese]

What amazes me in all this is the Tory's total failure. By that I mean their inability to win even after/during a major recession and being way ahead in the polls. After my years of voting etc I would have expected the Torys to walk away with it after all the country has been through recently.

Maybe there are many voters like me who would never vote for them, recalling what happens when they are in charge?

My own opinion is that the Tories lost because the electorate do not realise how much sh*t we are in as a country. At the moment, a lot of the electorate seem to buy the line that we can go on as we are and pay off our debts later. As Greece found out, this is an appealing electoral position, until those you are trying to borrow money from say no and you're left in a horrible problem of how you pay the wages of all the teachers, doctors, nurses, police, officials, etc.

The Labour line of let's keep spending and pay later is particularly appealing, especially to public sector workers whose numbers have grown tremendously over the last 13 years.

I can't help feel that this result is actually the best result for the Tories, better than winning an outright majority. There will be another election within 18 months, so better to let a Labour-Lib Dem coalition cause funding problems for the country (if they refuse to tackle the debt) leading to a re-election of a Tory majority.

[davieG]

I think Cleggy will sell out and side with the Tories, but only if he's promised PR. Can't really blame him but it'd still be disappointed. I'd prefer a Lib/Lab pact personally, going with Cameron would cause a huge rift in the Lib Dems.

Jeers to the people of Harborough, was really hoping it was going to turn yellow this time.

Not if he gets electoral reform, he would also lose potential new voters under a new system if he was seen to be supporting Brown. He's between a rock and a hard stone and his only way out is to ensure electoral reform, if he doesn't achieve that from his current strong but difficult position then he will go down as a complete failure. It's shit or bust time for Clegg.

[AoWW]

I could well be missing something obvious, but why is it taking so long to count the ballot papers for those remaining seats we've not yet got results for? Just seems strange to me that some got their results in very quickly yet - 12 hours or so later - others still aren't in. Can't be that tricky to count, surely?

[davieG]

I could well be missing something obvious, but why is it taking so long to count the ballot papers for those remaining seats we've not yet got results for? Just seems strange to me that some got their results in very quickly yet - 12 hours or so later - others still aren't in. Can't be that tricky to count, surely?

It's usually the large countryside constituencies plus I believe some don't even start counting until the morning after.

[dandannieldanok]

It's quite clear that none of the three parties can be happy with the results.

Labour: Whipped in many parts of England but even stronger in Scotland now than 5 years ago. Ultimately a bad night despite no major surprises.

Conservatives: Seemingly had the electorate at their mercy just a few months ago, now facing the very real possiblity that they might not even form a minority government. Yes they've won a hatful of seats in England but just did not have enough support in the marginals. Surely massive questions have to be asked about the future of Cameron if they can't form a government, this was such a good opportunity to seize a majority.

Liberal Democrats: So much promise, yet the electorate in the end don't trust them. Treading water from 2005 really is a massive disappointment when you consider how everyone though they'd be pushing 80 seats after Clegg-boom.

[Tommeh]

Had a horrible feeling the bnp would pick up a seat somewhere, thank fvck they didn't. Griffin was shafted in his own constituencty too.

[breadandcheese]

Not if he gets electoral reform, he would also lose potential new voters under a new system if he was seen to be supporting Brown. He's between a rock and a hard stone and his only way out is to ensure electoral reform, if he doesn't achieve that from his current strong but difficult position then he will go down as a complete failure. It's shit or bust time for Clegg.

How would Clegg's position change if Brown was persuaded to step aside for Alan Johnson to take over as PM?

All the right noises are being made by Labour re: changing the voting system, so everything, bar Gordon Brown, is in place for a Labour-Lib Dem coalition.

[AoWW]

It's usually the large countryside constituencies plus I believe some don't even start counting until the morning after.

Ah, ok, thanks.

(Bunch of blummin' slackers tho - they should use the FTers who contribute to the all-nighter thread - we'd have had them counted in next to no time!)

[Jon the Hat]

How would Clegg's position change if Brown was persuaded to step aside for Alan Johnson to take over as PM?

All the right noises are being made by Labour re: changing the voting system, so everything, bar Gordon Brown, is in place for a Labour-Lib Dem coalition.

Yes - Labour are indeed making the right noises, becuase they are desperate. If they did not lose then why are they so desperate? If you have a large majority, and you drop nearly 100 seats despite all your re-adjustments of boundaries, then you lost.

[Benji]

I mentioned something similar last night. In a time where the other UK countries keep fighting for devolution and Scotland in particular now have the right to vote on their own matters in domestic policies, why do we have this UK Parliament.

English vote so far:

512 seats confirmed

Conservative - 286 seats - 91 gains - 9,559,006 votes - 39.6%

Labour - 185 seats - 2 gains - 6,812,250 votes - 28.2%

Liberal Democrat - 40 seats - 8 gains - 5,813,036 votes - 24.1%

So from the English side of things, Conservatives have hit 286 seats of a needed 256, they've been far from rejected. The fact is Labour are saved by the Scottish vote, where the tories have made only 1 seat. How can they be so influential on the UK system when more and more power is being devolved away from UK MPs towards the Scottish Parliament?

[breadandcheese]

Yes - Labour are indeed making the right noises, becuase they are desperate. If they did not lose then why are they so desperate? If you have a large majority, and you drop nearly 100 seats despite all your re-adjustments of boundaries, then you lost.

Unfortunately, our constitution means it's for the sitting government to attempt to form a new one. Like it or not (and I don't like it), that is the situation. As I've said, i actually think it will benefit the Tories for the reasons I listed above.

[Jon the Hat]

Unfortunately, our constitution means it's for the sitting government to attempt to form a new one. Like it or not (and I don't like it), that is the situation. As I've said, i actually think it will benefit the Tories for the reasons I listed above.

That is merely convention. It didn't work last time did it? It was written down a couple of weeks ago by Labour, so no reason why this should continue.

Obviously I am indeed biased, but I cannot see how Labour can be allowed to get away with losing so many seats by such a blatant about face which is so obviously designed to cling onto power at any cost. For convention? No thanks. Time's up.

[purpleronnie]

So after all is said and done, Gordon Brown might still be PM?

[FoxyPV]

Clegg has come out and said it's up to the tories to form a coalition. Can't see it happening though.

Still think Dave will try and form a minority govt and then call another election in November.

[l444ry]

Clegg has come out and said it's up to the tories to form a coalition. Can't see it happening though.

Still think Dave will try and form a minority govt and then call another election in November.

Nothing can take the shiteating grin off my face today.

There will be no Tory majority government. Labour kicked back. The Lib Dems held the line, although they didn't make the gains they hoped. The worst-case scenario here is a hobbled Tory minority dragging its bloated, stinking carcase around the Commons until progressives throw enough rocks at it to make it squeal out another election. Yes, they can and probably will do some damage. No, it won't be as bad as it might have been.

[Jon the Hat]

Nothing can take the shiteating grin off my face today.

There will be no Tory majority government. Labour kicked back. The Lib Dems held the line, although they didn't make the gains they hoped. The worst-case scenario here is a hobbled Tory minority dragging its bloated, stinking carcase around the Commons until progressives throw enough rocks at it to make it squeal out another election. Yes, they can and probably will do some damage. No, it won't be as bad as it might have been.

And people call me biased. At least I am not blind.

[Guest DavidJCW]

Well this was probably always going to happen... very surprised that the Lib Dems didn't advance as thought though. That's probably the most surprising part of this election.

So, who's up for all this again in 6 months?

[Shrenchel]

Well this was probably always going to happen... very surprised that the Lib Dems didn't advance as thought though. That's probably the most surprising part of this election.

Aye. People shit themselves. Knew loads who said they were going to vote Lib Dem but then went Labour in the end.

To be fair, they did increase the number of votes they got, just the system fvcked them. Unbelievable how Labour ended up with 200 more seats for less than a couple million more votes.

Conservative 302 Seats, 10,592,258 votes

Labour . 256 Seats, 8,509,376 votes.

Liberal Democrat 56 Seats, 6,751,786 votes

[davieG]

Well this was probably always going to happen... very surprised that the Lib Dems didn't advance as thought though. That's probably the most surprising part of this election.

So, who's up for all this again in 6 months?

They have increased their % of the votes by 1% but ended up with less seats whereas the Tories increased theirs by 3.8% and ended up with a gain of 94 seats as of 15:00.

Oops should have read shrencel's post first

[Tilley]

Con-Dem government ay? I'll take anything to see Brown and Labour not get anywhere near the government again.

Brown should do the honourable thing and resign. The country have voted and he has all but lost. The Labour party should seek a new leader and build their party again.

What is the likelihood of another election in a few months?

[Guest Bilo]

Con-Dem government ay? I'll take anything to see Brown and Labour not get anywhere near the government again.

Brown should do the honourable thing and resign. The country have voted and he has all but lost. The Labour party should seek a new leader and build their party again.

What is the likelihood of another election in a few months?

Well it is true that Con-Dems make you significantly less likely to end up in Labour.

Joking aside, this would probably be the most workable solution from last night's result. A Lib-Lab coalition, while ideologically closer than a Con-Lib alliance, would still be short of a majority and only around 9 seats better than off than the Tories alone. A Parliament torn apart by infighting it would be, and that's not what the country needs.

The Tories in a minority government would have to make a lot of compromises and back room deals to get legislation though, but being only 20 seats of an overall majority wouldn't necessarily make this impossible for them. A Labour minority government is obviously impossible so a Con-Lib agreement is probably the most viable available option right now.

[Mack]

'con'dems' condemn us to another messy election.

With a new labour leader my guess is the next one will be even more close.

[Jon the Hat]

'con'dems' condemn us to another messy election.

With a new labour leader my guess is the next one will be even more close.

Nah. In 6 months the economic reality Labour has been trying to hide will be out in the open for all to see. In the words of Reagan. "I looked at our finances, I didn;t like it. You are not going to like it"

[dandannieldanok]

The major problem with a hung parliament is that the power is now in the hands of Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats (and possibly even some of the nationalist parties with tiny representations). They can basically get what they want to a large extent now, with both the Tories and Labour fighting for their support. Absurdly, it seems they're in a very strong position despite being nowhere near the Tories and Labour in terms of seats.

[Guest DavidJCW]

'con'dems' condemn us to another messy election.

With a new labour leader my guess is the next one will be even more close.

Well if the opinions of many of the pundits is right, if Labour do get rid of Brown and put someone like David Milliband in and the Tories are forced to make horrid decisions when in power over the next few months which leave them not particularly liked by the public, we could well see another election and a big Labour win...