10.18pm: Boris 520,905, Ken 454,518 after 7 constituencies - PoliticsHome.com
Boris reportedly won 56%, Livingstone 29% in Tories' safest London area, West Central
9.56pm: Matthew Parris' column in tomorrow's Times lists the words politicians use in the event of defeats like that suffered by Labour yesterday: wake-up call; message from the electorate; take it on the chin; listen to voters; learn lessons; heed concerns; need for change; get back in touch; sharpen up the act; show contrition; find a new narrative; sense of purpose;feel their pain; show humility; understand more; blitz of initiatives; simpler messages; sharpen the argument; clearer sense of direction; relaunch/refocus/rediscover/; redefine/repair/refresh/reshuffle/rethink/renew; begin fightback; still two years left.
9.40pm: Stephen Tall is a great guy but he's telling other LibDem bloggers that his party has had a good night. Really? Team Clegg got a smaller national vote share than Team Ming.
9.33pm: PoliticsHome.com is providing the fastest results service via its 'Green Box'.
9.31pm: The results are a verdict on Blairism and capitalism says Tony Benn. Is Mr Benn really saying that Livingstone wasn't left enough?
9.25pm: John Leonard leaves a comment with the wonderful news that fellow blogger James Cleverly has been elected to the GLA with a majority of 75,000. Many congratulations James!
7.51pm: The Evening Standard has declared it for Boris. Are we allowed to say 22 hours after us?
7.42pm: We've just posted very encouraging results from Crewe and Nantwich. Now let's win that by-election!!
7.17pm: The Yorkshire Conservatives' blog records their council gains.
7.11pm: Labour losses now 434, Tories +300, LibDems +33.
7.10pm The third way is finished writes Neal Lawson. There's nothing in his piece to suggest that he has a better way forward. The striking thing is that no Labour/ left-wing commentator has presented a compelling way forward for Labour.
7.03pm: Eastleigh is now a Tory-free zone. Jonathan Isaby has more. Despite last night LibDem held seats aren't going to be easy to win.
6.40pm: Special congratulations to Christian Barber, 18, who won the Newchapel seat from Labour in Newcastle-under-Lyme. He is an A2-Level student studying at Newcastle-under-Lyme College.
5.02pm: PoliticsHome Insiders have delivered their verdict on yesterday's results: "A big majority of the panel (seventy eight per cent) now think that the Tories will be the biggest party in the next parliament. Fifty two per cent (up from thirty one per cent when we asked the question last week) think the next election will produce a slim Conservative majority." More here.
5pm: Iain Dale has published some very encouraging interim results from Crewe - encouraging for the imminent by-election.
- Cons 31.15%
- Labour 31.8%
- LD 18.70%
- Others: 18.35%
Later today we'll be publishing information on how you can get involved in this campaign.
4.41pm: Received this email from a very happy Tory: "In Co.Durham we won 10 seats on the new Unitary Auhority. Considering this is Labour's supposed heartlands, and that we took SIX seats from them across the County, it's very very good news indeed. We also had a 20 year old female Conservative win in Willington ward, which was in 2005 (the last time the seat was elected) one of Labour's Top Five safest seats. Becky Brunskill ran a fantastic campaign that even led to the Labour candidate Brian Myers condemning Gordon Brown and openly calling for him to quit in an interview with the local newspaper. In Durham we also won: Chester North & East, Chester South, Pelton, Barnard Castle West (2 members), Barnard Castle East (2 Members) and seats in Teesdale and Sedgefield (Blair's old constituency). All of the Labour seats in Co.Durham are over 12000 majorities so it's an excllent result."
4.34pm: ConHome has had 61,389 hits so far today. A record and still seven-and-a-half more hours to go.
4.26pm: Adam Boulton suggesting we may not have official result until 10.30pm.
4.26pm: Labour now down 387 seats.
4.08pm: We've been texted approximate, unofficial interims from the London count...
- Ealing & Hill - 48% counted, Boris about 50% Ken about 35%
- West Central - 42% counted, Boris about 60% Ken about 30%
- South West - 44% counted, Boris about 50% Ken about 35%
- Lambeth & Southwark - 46% counted, Boris about 30% Ken about 50%
- Croydon & Sutton - 43% counted, Boris about 50% Ken about 30%
- Merton & Wandsworth - 40% counted, Boris about 50% Ken about 35%
This amounts to just under a 12.5% swing.
4.05pm: Gordon Brown is no longer in Time Magazine's list of the world's most influential people....but Tony Blair is!
3.57pm: TORIES CLAIM VICTORY FOR BORIS JOHNSON (TIMES)
3.43pm: As noted earlier, the BBC's election night coverage was a joke. Mike Smithson has started a thread on the insult to viewers' intelligence. On a vote within our chatroom ConHome readers preferred Sky coverage to BBC coverage by 49% to 30%.
3.38pm: Danny Finkelstein saying Boris won't quite get in on first preferences but almost.
3.35pm: All these ministers would lose their seats if last night's elections were repeated at the General: Ed Balls, Jacqui Smith, James Purnell, John Hutton, Caroline Flint, Ruth Kelly, John Denham
3.26pm: Nice line from Iain Dale's blog: "A plane has been spotted at RAF Northolt ready and waiting to take Ken Livingstone into exile in Venezuela." :-)
3.22pm: Alan Duncan has told Sky that the "supremacy" of Ken Livingstone over London is over.
3pm: Good news for the forthcoming Crewe by-election according to Iain Lindley in the comments: "Big news from Crewe & Nantwich where the first unitary seats have declared. Conservatives have won 2 seats in Crewe West and Labour 1. Labour polled 53% and the Conservative candidate 29% at the last County Council election."
2.54pm: Three Line Whip: "Iain Dale is suggesting that Boris's amiable father Stanley would be ideally placed to stand as the Tory candidate in the by-election - and the man himself does nothing to suppress the idea." It's a nice idea but we understand that CCHQ are pretty determined to have a local candidate.
2.14pm: Labour down by 300 seats now. Boulton says "looking comfortable" for Boris:
1.45pm: Tory council gains now over 200. Expectation of final gains now close to 270. Screen capture below of David Cameron in Bury - speaking beneath a statue of Sir Robert Peel. This was DC's third stop of the day. He's already been in Wales and Nuneaton. Lots of regional media.
1.25pm: A source at the London Evening Standard has just emailed us to say it's looking "very, very good" for Boris.
1.12pm: Yet more bad news for Brown: David Pitt-Watson has resigned as Labour general secretary, or rather he told NEC officers this morning that he won't be taking up his appointment.
1.07pm: Tories gain Solihull from NOC. Maggie Throup will be very pleased!
12.57pm: Tories gain Rossendale.
12.52pm: "Listen to the banalities from ministers today and you can see how they are struggling to cope with the tide that is sweeping over them." - Steve Richards
12.46pm: Tories hold Wokingham, Waveney, Worthing and Bassetlaw. ToryRadio's Jonathan Sheppard will be pleased about the last one!
12.41pm: LibDems have gained Sheffield.
12.40pm: Comment Central is keeping track of all the speculation and have this important observation of their own: "Senior sources inside Conservative HQ say privately that the party believe that Boris will win by between 4 and 8 per cent after second preferences."
12.38pm: Bookmakers Paddy Power are already paying out to those who backed Boris. We've gained one seat two seats in Gloucester.
12.28pm: We paid our own tribute to Eric Pickles last night (within this post), calling him the Master of Ceremonies. Benedict Brogan has done the same this morning, calling him "the new Tory pin-up boy". This is the telling quote within Ben's blog: "In 1995 apparently, when the Tories were wiped out in the locals, Mr Pickles spent the weekend telephoning every defeated council leader to apologise." Good for Eric.
12.22pm: Brian Paddick is apparently considering becoming an MP. We hope he's checked that his mum's approved.
12.14pm: Wolverhampton goes to NOC following eight Tory gains. Looks like we were right about Reading going to NOC, despite Salter's talk of "a fantastic result" in which "we held back the Tory tide".
12.13pm: We're hearing that a London Elects official in Tower Hamlets was fired on the spot for urging people to vote for Livingstone.
12.03pm: Naughty Tony. Front page of Evening Standard has a smiling photo of Tony Blair from a party in Mayfair last night:
12.01am: West Brom blog reporting Labour meltdown in Wolverhampton.
11.58am: We're hearing that Reading is Lab 20, Con 18, LD 8 after a recount...
11.57am: We're hearing Purbeck has been lost to NOC, with Cons and LDs on 11 each
11.55am: Ipswich borough council: Labour gain 2 seats from Conservative, one from Liberal Democrat. New council: Lab 21, Con 19, Lib Dem 8. NOC
11.49am: BBC reporting Con Gain in Redditch.
11.42am: Cameron to go to visit Bury after Nuneaton.
11.30am: INTERACTIVE CHATROOM RESUMED
11.27am: We're hearing that Reading is going to NOC although Martin Salter MP is saying it's a Lab Hold on Sky...
11.23am: It looks like we've made gains in Reading but not enough. One of the few disappointments of the night.
11.20am: Sky is saying Boris has built up a healthy lead in the counting of first 10% of first preference votes. Sky is talking about a victory for Boris on second preferences by 4% to 6%.
11.17am: Iain Dale is reporting that we've won North Tyneside. What with gains in Bury and Sunderland that's very good news for 'Campaign North'.
11.11am: Screen capture from Sky...
11.07am: Our new 21 year-old councillor in Hendon's Hale ward.
10.55am: Another by-election win in Hammersmith. Seat retained with much healthier majority. Paul Bristow has more.
10.36am: Two by-election results: Scottish Tory Boy reports we held a seat in Dumfries. 'Hendon insider' has commented we have won a by-election up there in north London (UNCONFIRMED). Let's hope that that's the first of lots of good news from London.
10.06am: David Cameron is interviewed on BBC News 24 below. Nick Bourne, leader of the Conservatives on the Cardiff Assembly, is pictured on the right. The Tory leader was in the Vale of Glamorgan to celebrate Tories taking control of the council.
9.54am: Chirpy Hazel Blears has just been on Sky News, surely the last person Labour should have on if they want to appear realistic and contrite. That said, even she is struggling to grin at these results.
9.47am: Professor John Curtice wrote this yesterday: "There will be a nagging worry in [Cameron's] mind as the polls close. Will his party do well enough to suggest that it really looks capable of deposing Labour from power? He cannot really be sure of achieving that." He can now.
9.38am: BBC's Carole Walker says Downing Street fears a Boris win resulting from high turnout in the suburbs.
9.33am: Tories win Vale of Glamorgan.
9.29am: From the PoliticsHome media transcript service this morning - Caroline Spelman says country lost confidence in Brown, Eric Pickles expresses gratitude for Cameron's leadership and David Cameron talks of the elections being a big moment for the party.
9.26am: Since we stopped blogging the Tories have won Basingstoke from NOC, and held Monmouthshire.
First time following the results? See liveblogs One and Two. We'll reopen the chatroom feature ahead of the last flurry of local election results at noon.
Downing Street believe Boris has won London.
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 09:37
Is your call of London for Boris based on him winning on first preferences?
Posted by: Andrew Lilico | May 02, 2008 at 09:46
Incidentally - do you think the BBC commentators were right to suppose that high turnout in inner london areas meant high inner London votes for Ken? Couldn't it equally have meant lots of "new" voters turning out for Boris?
Posted by: Andrew Lilico | May 02, 2008 at 09:48
Just heard Con gain Vale of Glamorgan. This may be old news but I've just logged in!
Posted by: PortugueseClass | May 02, 2008 at 10:00
Seeing a smug Cameron gives my a sick feeling; however I find Labour's pain rather fun to watch. Any ideas on how the BNP did? Or is that the subject that dare not be discussed.
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge | May 02, 2008 at 10:00
Daniel: is that based on what Carole Walker said on the BBC? I think she was a tiny bit more nuanced than that.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | May 02, 2008 at 10:03
Super effort from everyone in Finchley and Golders Green last night- looking forward to working with you all for the General now.
Does anyone know where the best/biggest election results gatherings/parties are tonight? The only one I know about is the CF one at the Old Star in Westminster.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | May 02, 2008 at 10:04
Apparently, members of Brown's inner team believe Boris has won. High turnout in the suburbs.
The Prime Minister has contacted Ken and said Labour was proud of a "hard fought campaign".
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 10:08
GLA results;
http://www.londonelects.org.uk/default.aspx
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 10:32
Redditch declaring in 15-20mins
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 10:45
Andrew Lilico: Is your call of London for Boris based on him winning on first preferences?
We're limiting ourselves to saying he'll win, Andrew. Nothing more.
:-)
Posted by: Editor | May 02, 2008 at 10:50
Hale Ward By-election on 1 May 2008Candidate Party Result
DAVEY, Tom Conservative 2798 - Elected
BRODKIN, Alex Labour 1882
JACOBS, Geoffery Liberal Democrats 487
CURRY, Stephen BNP 213
NEWBY, Andrew Green 206
2006 Local Council Elections ResultsCandidate Party Result
Gordon, Brian Colin Conservative Elected: 2315
Ellison, Jane Elizabeth Conservative Elected: 2276
Rayner, Hugh Robert Conservative Elected: 2099
Balendra, Sandi Janani Labour 1820
Blomer, Steven Edward Labour 1799
Dustagheer, Adam Labour 1749
Gottsche, Sheila Liberal Democrat 528
Jacobs, Geoffrey Alan Liberal Democrat 523
Lake, David Ronald Green 359
Roberts, Michael Charles Liberal Democrat 488
Posted by: Richard Weider | May 02, 2008 at 10:52
Sky News calling London for Boris on 2nd preference votes
Posted by: PortugueseClass | May 02, 2008 at 10:53
Conservative gain in Reading [Caversham Ward]
http://www.reading.gov.uk/elections2008/
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 10:57
Thank you Daniel Furr for that very useful link!
Re By Elections - there was one yesterday in Sands End Ward in Fulham so it will be interesting to see how we've done there. I believe it is expected to be a safe Conservative win.
Posted by: woodentop | May 02, 2008 at 10:58
Four so far in Tyneside
http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/elections/2008/results2008.shtml
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 10:58
I think Tyneside is a +2 gain (not 100% sure)
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:00
Newcastle Council
http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/election2008.nsf/adminweb?openview
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:01
Just seen the Sands End result - well done to Ali De Lisle and the Conservative team there and thanks to Paul Bristow for publishing this result so quickly!
Posted by: Sally Roberts | May 02, 2008 at 11:01
Wolverhampton
(results should be declared very soon)
http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/government_democracy/elections/local/2008/results
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:04
Swing in Hale looks like roughly 4.6%, which will please the local Tories looking to oust Dismal.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | May 02, 2008 at 11:07
From what we've discovered so far, Tories are probably near +160
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:09
First pref/second pref: Boris will obviously need to be ahead on first preferences, but he'll be well off 50%, and so he'll then need to hold his position on second prefs.
Does anyone know if in practice we will hear how the first pref votes have gone before the final result later on?
It's a fair point that inner London higher turnout may mean lots of new Boris voters. I was telling in inner London non-Tory Borough much of yesterday and I think both sides were piling in to vote. There seemed to be a higher proportion of younger voters than normal too - which you could take either way. I am also aware anecdotally of lots of people voting for us who wouldn't normally bother, e.g. students away at Uni specially organising postal votes, some people in their late 20s and 30s who have NEVER voted before etc. But there may be as many Labour-inclined people, who don't talk to a known Tory in the same way, doing the same thing.
I just cling to the hope that the national trend is good and that people are more likely to be energised to chuck out an incumbant than to block a challenger. But it's hope not certainty.
Posted by: Londoner | May 02, 2008 at 11:11
Basingstoke - Conservative Hold
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:13
With 5 wards declared in Reading, Labour have already lost 3 - 2 to Tories, 1 to Limp Dums.
In Caversham the Tories now have a majority of nearly 600 and Church ward was taken by nearly 200 votes.
Posted by: Dean | May 02, 2008 at 11:15
Word is that there are trouble with postal votes in Tower Hamlets. Anyone shocked?
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge | May 02, 2008 at 11:17
Update: 9 Tories elected in north tyneside now
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:18
Conservatives hold Hertsmere
results are starting to fly in now
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:21
Can we have the chatroom back up please!
Posted by: Dean | May 02, 2008 at 11:23
+2 gains in Wolverhampton
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:24
North Tyneside is confirmed. Tory gain.
Posted by: Daniel Furr | May 02, 2008 at 11:27
BBC confirm Tory win in North Tyneside with us taking 2 seats off Labour and 1 Libdem
Posted by: PortugueseClass | May 02, 2008 at 11:29
According to the BBC, last night was a disaster for the Conservatives.
We didn't get 50% of the vote, didn't win control of Manchester, Liverpool and Sunderland. Cameron should be worried - very worried, apparently....
Posted by: Edison Smith | May 02, 2008 at 11:29
PoliticsHome reckons that Labour has held Reading. That would be a disappointment if true...
Posted by: chrisblore | May 02, 2008 at 11:32
Sitting in my office listing to the ELO’s Mr Blue Sky and thinking how appropriate the words are for today.
Sun is shinin' in the sky
There ain't a cloud in sight
It's stopped rainin' ev'rybody's in a play
And don't you know
It's a beautiful new day hey,hey
Runnin' down the avenue
See how the sun shines brightly in the city
On the streets where once was pity
Mister blue sky is living here today hey, hey
Mister blue sky please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long
Where did we go wrong?
Hey you with the pretty face
Welcome to the human race
A celebration, mister blue sky's up there waitin'
And today is the day we've waited for
Hey there mister blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around see what you do
Ev'rybody smiles at you
Mister blue sky, mister blue sky
Mister blue sky
Mister blue, you did it right
But soon comes mister night creepin' over
Now his hand is on your shoulder
Never mind I'll remember you this
I'll remember you this way
Mister blue sky please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long
Where did we go wrong?
Hey there mister blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around see what you do
Ev'rybody smiles at you
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
Posted by: Richard | May 02, 2008 at 11:41
CLICK HERE for the chatroom.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | May 02, 2008 at 12:05
Wolverhampton - historically, a Labour rotten borough through and through, but last night 8 seats gained from them to force NOC. Notable local casualties include Pat Byrne and Milkinder Jaspal, the latter being a former transport chief who was arguably Public Enemy Number One in the eyes of anyone who has ever battled with the council inflicted traffic jams.
Posted by: David Cooper | May 02, 2008 at 12:08
If anything a Ken Livingstone victory in the London Mayoral election will cause huge problems for Gordon Brown, his continued presence represents an alternative powerbase inside Labour for the Trotskeyites and will be used as propaganda by them saying that New Labour is unpopular, many unreconstructed Trots are quite ready to put Labour's political failures in the 1980s and 1990s down to being the fault of Social Democrats.
Posted by: Yet Another Anon | May 02, 2008 at 12:09
North Durham Conservatives have won 3 seats from Labour, right in their heartland. There have never been Conservative councillors in East Durham and this is an astonishing win.
Posted by: Lucille Nicholson | May 02, 2008 at 12:26
David Blunkett has been saying today that we have 'low unemployment' 'low inflation' etc. Its pretty obvious that the Labour party is incapable of learning from its mistakes or even admitting that there are problems. This government is so out of touch, they are still trying to say our economic woes were 'made in the USA', Incredible!
Posted by: Tony Makara | May 02, 2008 at 13:51
Sky News has put CON gain over 200 seats - currently 215:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/fixed_article/0,,91211-1314737,00.html
BTW, I have a gripe. I voted by post for the London Assembly, but at the time I didn't realise from reading the bumpf that under the horrible PR system my Conservative List vote is bound to be discounted because we'll win too many constituency seats. If I'd known that I could have considered voting tactically to keep the hard Left out. It was only made clear in 'how to vote' bumpf that arrived several days after I'd voted.
Posted by: Simon Newman | May 02, 2008 at 13:52
Please do comment on this thread if you want but must chat is taking place here.
Posted by: Editor | May 02, 2008 at 14:00
No sign of Goldie today? His comments predicting doom for the Conservatives under Cameron are as always, completely wrong.
Posted by: Malcolm Dunn | May 02, 2008 at 14:06
Big news from Crewe & Nantwich where the first unitary seats have declared.
Conservatives have won 2 seats in Crewe West and Labour 1. Labour polled 53% and the Conservative candidate 29% at the last County Council election.
http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/Elections2008/Public/DivisionResult.aspx?ccc_code=13LE
Posted by: Iain Lindley | May 02, 2008 at 14:43
Quite possibly one of the most impressive individual results is that of 19yr old Becky Brunskill, who won in Willington, Co. Durham, and not by a few votes, but a few hundred.
Willington is an ex-mining village, but Becky and her friends worked the ground tirelessly and Becky has been rewarded.
I believe Becky deserves serious recognition for what was a massive task, overcome in one attempt at County level, having worked part of the ground last year at District level.
What would be nice in these areas of Durham is a concentrated membership drive (driven by the party) aimed at increasing our foot soldiers.
Posted by: Jim Tague | May 02, 2008 at 15:54
Cheshire East looks to be a blue-wash. In the Tatton half of the former Macclesfield Borough all 15 seats/5 wards (Wilmslow South, Wilmslow North, Bucklow, Knutsford and Alderley Edge) have gone to the Conservatives. In the Macclesfield half it looks as though as many as 12 might go blue. The Congleton and Crewe and Nantwich parts also look promising.
Posted by: Gary Barton | May 02, 2008 at 16:05
Something Vince Cable said last night on the BBC concerning the 20% gap between Conservative and Labour is worthy of mention. He said that the downturn in the UK 'has not really started yet' and that when it does; 'People are going to get even angrier.'
Posted by: figurewizard | May 02, 2008 at 16:31
Denbighshire 18 Cons, 7 Lab, 1 Lib Dem, 13 Indy, 8 Plaid. 17 of the Cons councillors are in the Vale of Clwyd (5 in Rhyl alone).
Matt Wright
Posted by: Matt Wright | May 02, 2008 at 17:24
Talking of young candidates doing well in previously fairly safe Labour seats, James Keeley (Liscaird) and Tom Anderson (Upton) have both made gains in the Wirral, capping a good night which ended with us being the largest party on the council. The Liscaird result is particularly impressive, with James picking up 51% of the vote.
Posted by: Chris Moss | May 02, 2008 at 17:28
What's particularly exciting about the Co Durham results is that there would seem to be scope for building on our success in future years - there are several two-member wards which we won having only stood a single candidate.
Hearty congratulations to Conservatives in Co Durham whose efforts over a long time have now paid off. Well done!
Posted by: Adam in London | May 02, 2008 at 17:31
Conservatives have gained a massive 7 seats in the Socialist Republic of Wakefield. Labour now have just a single seat majority in a district they have never lost.
REJOICE, REJOICE!!
Posted by: rightwingery | May 02, 2008 at 18:10
London Elects website has just changed and looks to be ready to go.......
Posted by: Sarah | May 02, 2008 at 20:34
I listened to BBC London: Everyone was crying on it.
The last two days have demonstrated how much a left-wing organisation the 'Beeb' really is.
The London News at 6.30pm signed off their report on the mayor race with the words of a socialist blogger plucked from nowhere:
"the result is cruel. London will now be a much less pleasant place to live. A less tolerant place to live."
WTF????????????????????????????
Posted by: Edison Smith | May 02, 2008 at 20:43
Bexley & Bromley
James Cleverly wins by 75,000 votes
Posted by: John Leonard | May 02, 2008 at 21:02
Brent & Harrow Assembly:
Con lose by 1000 votes or so
Hard Luck Bob Blackman
Posted by: John Leonard | May 02, 2008 at 21:05
The Brent & Harrow result is terrible, especially given the over 3,000 'spoilt ballots'. I hope there's a proper recount and they're investigated. Tories can't just assume everyone else is playing fair, it's not the 1950s.
Posted by: Simon Newman | May 02, 2008 at 21:21
Pliticshome says Boris 43 Ken 39 after 10 constituencies
Not sure which 4 are to come but that's a little to close for my lkiking at the moment
Until it's confirmed I can't get properly excited about a Boris win
Posted by: Paul D | May 02, 2008 at 23:08
In Southampton we have had two 18 year olds elected. One in a safe Lib Dem seat, the other in the safest Labour seat of the city which has a massive council housing estate in it.
Posted by: SouthamptonBoi | May 03, 2008 at 01:40
What I find spctacular is how many people still vote for them - it just shows the galactic ignorance of the British voter.
Posted by: Victor M. | May 03, 2008 at 06:29
"In addition to our 8 constituency GLA members, 3 list candidates were also elected - our highest ever total on the GLA"
Glad to see my Conservative top-up list vote wasn't wasted after all - in fact since I voted for Dick Tracy in Wandsworth plus helped towards the top-up, I guess my votes counted double! This PR system does have the advantage that any narrow losses at constituency level get made-up at London-wide level. It also means that voters in the larger population wards aren't so discriminated against vs the smaller wards.
Posted by: Simon Newman | May 03, 2008 at 08:09
UP NORTH
It is understandable that Con Homes big story is the London Elections and here in the Yorkshire Pennines we are pleased to see Ken Livingstones GANG ousted from City Hall.
But our owm election results in Calder Valley and Halifax are encouraging for the General Election
Calder Valley [currently Lab ]
Con 11 463 [ won 2 incl a defected Tory and Todmorden from LDs, a WIN for us first time since the 1970 ]
LD 9179
Lab 5399
BNP 953 [ 4 out of 9 wards ]
Halifax [ Lab ]
Con 8250 [ held a seat LD won in 97 ]
Lab 6679
LD 6117 [ won a seat from Lab in mainly Asian Ward ]
BNP 2748 [ won back in a Lab Ward ]
So my concern, as I have questioned David Cameron twice when he has been up in the parts, we will not take LDs votes in these areas [ note Rochdale, Burnley, Stockport, Sheffield ] they are so linked to their history of Liberalism.
We did execeptionally well in Wakefield and Rotherham, former Mining areas, winning from Lab.
Our polices must be concentrated on Centre Right issues and making sure our lost voters return, especially where the BNP have made inroads.
Posted by: Mark Andrew | May 03, 2008 at 10:24