Election special and live blogging…
9:57 pm - May 1st 2008
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LIBERAL CONSPIRACY CALLS FOR KEN LIVINGSTONE
… on the basis a wide range of conversations we’ve had throughout the day with people in the field and with senior insiders… and my mates from the pub.
—————
2am I’m signing off from the live-blogging for now. It’s become boring and the only graphics the BBC can muster up is the tired Gordon Brown ‘From Stalin to Mr Bean’ one… besides, I have an article to file. I might continue in the comments though.
01:42am BBC is projecting national share of council elections as follows:
Conservatives: 44%, Libdems: 25%, Labour: 24%,
01:36am I like Shaun Bailey, but I don’t see how he can get away with saying Boris was winning on policy after the buses cost disaster. Emily Maitliss didn’t even contest that point.
01:22am Oh for fucks sake, Vine is rolling out the Gordon Brown ‘Stalin – Mr Bean’ graphic again. Who thought up these stupid graphics?
01:16am John Denham is on. I like John Denham. JD for PM!… I thought that was a VERY strong performance by Denham. What say you folks?
01:14am Emily Maitliss – “Johnson has got things together on his policies…” Oh really? What rubbish.
01:04 Unity says in the comments that BNP vote in Sandwell is collapsing, and is so far half what it was last year. Nice… Laurie has her own thoughts on the night. Update – Labour hold Sandwell according to septicisle in the comments
01:03am Jeremy Vine is dressed and talking normally again. THANK GOD.
Links: Justin has a warning for Londoners… Unity is also live-blogging tonight, though with a slightly different take… heh.
00:52am Emily Maitliss: “Things are hotting up in blogland tonight…” Erm, are they? All I can see everywhere is everyone laughing at those terrible BBC graphics and JV’s bad American accent.
00:42am OMG Jeremy Vine is now presenting a Wild Wild West graphic! Jesus! I can’t take this anymore! What next? Cheerleaders?
00:30am First major result – Tories take control of Bedworth council, which had been Labour for over 22yrs. BNP took two seats.
00:18am Michael Portillo is twisting the knife into Boris live on TV. Brilliant. Good to know the Tories are delivering London their most able candidate…
00:12am Jeremy Vine is doing some bizarre graphic involving homo-erectus. Things really are getting desperate…
00:02am Right, I’ve got myself tea and some baby carrots with hummus, anything interesting happen while I was away?…. Thought not. Oh, Iain Dale is now on and telling us that ConservativeHome really have their finger on the pulse with their decision to call Boris for Mayor. Just remember, they called for Boris on the basis of… “…a wide range of conversations we’ve had throughout the day with people in the field and with senior Tory and other insiders…”
23:24pm Jesus! The pundits have been repeating the same soundbites for so long I’m bored out my brain. US 24hr news is much more exciting. I’m going to take a half-hour break, grab some tea and work on my article. Back later by midnight.. keep leaving your messages below.
As Dan says below, “There is a danger of something actually happening.”
23:17pm Birmingham MP says – “Our aim was always to limit the damage…” What confidence they inspire.
Links: Alix Mortimer is also live-blogging… as part of a BBC effort.
23:05pm Jeremy Vine is now just repeating himself. Jeez, I’m bored already.
22:55pm Jon Worth points out in the comments below that the BBC has done no exit polling tonight. Anyone know why? Sky hasn’t either it seems. The only “polling” we have is ConservativeHome and their mates.
Links: Our Alix Mortimer has this cheeky piece on CIF about the Libdems.
22:40pm BBC News – “will Gordon Brown tonight become Mr Bean?” There’s sophisticated political commentary for you.
22:33pm: Dan has posted expected decision times in the comments. We could be here for a long time. Good thing too, because I’ve got to file a piece for the Guardian by tomorrow morning.
22:26pm Oooh, ToryHome is already calling for Boris based on “…a wide range of conversations we’ve had throughout the day with people in the field and with senior Tory and other insiders…”
Ha ha! Based on my own conversations today, I think its only right that…: LIBERAL CONSPIRACY IS CALLING FOR KEN BASED ON A POLL OF MY FRIENDS AND “CONVERSATIONS”. There – I’ve called for Ken.
22:15pm: Maybe I should live-blog Alien V Predator. Looks more interesting right now. I’m not good at this politics malarkey am I? Maybe I should make some predictions…
Links: Labourhome is asking readers to back Ken. Well there’s a surprise…
Links: Libdemvoice points to this Times article which points out something shocking: Boris doesn’t plan to quit as an MP if elected Mayor. A part-time buffoon, just what we need… Why didn’t Andrew Gilligan find that out?
21:55pm: Right then, I hope I don’t have to reprimand anyone for voting Boris Johnson. I’m a bit torn actually as Alien Vs Predator is on Film4 and BBC News 24 is not looking exciting enough yet….
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Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
· Other posts by Sunny Hundal
Story Filed Under: Blog ,Debates ,Mayor election
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Reader comments
I don’t know about most places, but my local election results aren’t being counted until tomorrow. You would have thought the best time for a live election special is tomorrow afternoon.
Looks like Boris is just about home and hosed for the mayoralty judging by the betting markets.
Here’s the estimated declaration times from the PA (sorry for the length – feel free to remove if it wrecks the page):
Broxbourne
23:30
Plymouth
23:30
Tamworth
23:30
Salford
23:45
Barnsley
23:59
Brentwood
23:59
Bury
23:59
Castle Point
23:59
Great Yarmouth
23:59
Ipswich
23:59
Kingston-upon-Hull
23:59
Maidstone
23:59
Manchester
23:59
Mole Valley
23:59
North East Lincolnshire
23:59
Norwich
23:59
Southend-on-Sea
23:59
Stevenage
23:59
Swale
23:59
Tunbridge Wells
23:59
West Lindsey
23:59
West Oxfordshire
23:59
Worcester
23:59
Harlow
00:30
Hart
00:30
Pendle
00:30
Basildon
01:00
Cannock Chase
01:00
Carlisle
01:00
Carmarthenshire
01:00
Chorley
01:00
Derby
01:00
Eastleigh
01:00
Elmbridge
01:00
Halton
01:00
Hartlepool
01:00
Havant
01:00
Huntingdonshire
01:00
Knowsley
01:00
Liverpool
01:00
Newport
01:00
North Hertfordshire
01:00
Nuneaton & Bedworth
01:00
Oxford
01:00
Peterborough
01:00
Rochford
01:00
Rotherham
01:00
Rushmoor
01:00
Sandwell
01:00
Southampton
01:00
Stratford-on-Avon
01:00
Swansea
01:00
Tameside
01:00
Tandridge
01:00
Trafford
01:00
Weymouth & Portland
01:00
Wigan
01:00
Wirral
01:00
Woking
01:00
Doncaster
01:30
Exeter
01:30
Gosport
01:30
Isle of Anglesey
01:30
Oldham
01:30
Portsmouth
01:30
Runnymede
01:30
South Tyneside
01:30
Stockport
01:30
Stoke-on-Trent
01:30
Walsall
01:30
West Lancashire
01:30
Amber Valley
02:00
Basingstoke & Deane
02:00
Ceredigion
02:00
Daventry
02:00
Dudley
02:00
Durham
02:00
Fareham
02:00
Hyndburn
02:00
Kirklees
02:00
Merthyr Tydfil
02:00
Neath Port Talbot
02:00
Preston
02:00
Rochdale
02:00
St Albans
02:00
St Helens
02:00
Sefton
02:00
Swindon
02:00
Thurrock
02:00
Torfaen
02:00
Waveney
02:00
Winchester
02:00
Wyre Forest
02:00
Bolton
02:30
Cambridge
02:30
Birmingham
03:00
Bridgend
03:00
Colchester
03:00
Coventry
03:00
Flintshire
03:00
Hastings
03:00
Lincoln
03:00
Northumberland
03:00
Monmouthshire
03:30
Blaenau Gwent
04:00
Cardiff
04:00
Warrington
04:00
Welwyn Hatfield
04:00
Barrow-in-Furness
05:00
Rugby
05:00
Sunderland
11:30
Bradford
12:00
Burnley
12:00
Cherwell
12:00
Craven
12:00
Crawley
12:00
Gateshead
12:00
Gloucester
12:00
Hertsmere
12:00
Leeds
12:00
Milton Keynes
12:00
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
12:00
North Tyneside
12:00
Reading
12:00
Redditch
12:00
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
12:00
Rossendale
12:00
South Lakeland
12:00
Stroud
12:00
Three Rivers
12:00
Vale of Glamorgan
12:00
Wakefield
12:00
Wokingham
12:00
Wolverhampton
12:00
Worthing
12:00
Caerphilly
13:00
Calderdale
13:00
Cheltenham
13:00
Newcastle-under-Lyme 13:00
Slough 13:00
Solihull 13:00
Bassetlaw 13:30
Adur 14:00
Epping Forest 14:00
Gwynedd 14:00
Powys 14:00
Purbeck 14:00
Reigate & Banstead 14:00
Sheffield 14:00
Watford 14:00
Wrexham 14:00
Blackburn with Darwen 15:00
Cheshire East 15:00
Cheshire West & Chester 15:00
Harrogate 15:00
South Cambridgeshire 15:00
Pembrokeshire 16:00
Conwy 17:00
Denbighshire 17:00
London Elections
Electronic counting starts at 8.30 am on Friday May 2
FPTP constituency declarations expected from mid afternoon
The Mayoral result is expected before 8.30 pm
Top up list results are expected shortly after the mayoral declaration.
Have any of the TV stations done any exit polls for Mayor of London? I’m in Stockholm with an internet connection and no TV, and can’t find any inkling of what’s happening.
Jon – no, I’m not seeing any exit polls on Sky or BBC News yet…
Which makes me wonder if they actually did any… Normally the exit polls are more or less instantly made public. ITV news did one for the mayor election 4 years ago apparently.
Think we’ll have to wait a while to see how this is going. I am certainly not willing to go on Conservative Home’s ‘evidence’!
From the BBC’s live election page (link):
“No exit poll from the BBC tonight”
Strange. Wonder if they think it’s too inaccurate with the AV election.
There is a danger of something actually happening. Results expected in Maidstone soon.
There’s way too much danger that some results might actually come and the pundits may have to change the record. I know the American elections are on, but how can the BBC justify those graphics?
I wonder if Alix, Iain and Luke will be forced to stay there till Friday and keep blogging… or else!
I’m live blogging this as well, albeit in more irreverent fashion.
The big feature at the Ministry tonight will be a countdown of the top ten music videos that Guido won’t be enjoying between now and his court appearance in a couple of weeks.
STALIN TO MR BEAN AGAIN. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
Evening, Sunny! How come you’re not with the “famous bloggers” at City Hall? 😉
Gee, someone on the Beeb has just mentioned that 3/4 of voters in these elections live outside London. Like it was a revelation.
Meh…let’s face it no one gives a fuck unless its the one result we’re all waiting for…:P
… and that’s not due till tomorrow night.
Simon:
Should you really be mentioning ‘Revelation’?
About the only the Evening Standard haven’t written about is Ken’s 666 tattoo…
Perhaps they didn’t want people to think “better the devil you know”. 🙂
Jeremy Vine is like Peter Snow *without* acid. And the BBC’s graphic-metaphor interface has gone completely bonkers with its “homo electus” evolutionary anthropology schtick. Hilarious! Followed by an impressive non-link to Martha Kearney, stranded somewhere or other. Having just got back from a football match I’m on the brink of shouting “are you Channel 5 in disguise?” at the telly.
You awake, Sunny?
Oh yes. You’re there. And thanks for the Ken exit poll. Ian Dale says that Conservatives think Conservatives will win. And Alix was swigging the OJ when last seen…
Ha ha! I k now! this whole things such a farce it should be recorded for comedy value. Tory calls for tory candidate and praises Tory website SHOCK!
Alix is such a goody… I’d be swigging from a fat champagne bottle if I was there…
and I’m with you on the graphics. The BBC graphics people are on crack.
You wouldn’t get any champagne. They’ve already spent the budget on that crack. And not good quality stuff by the look of it, either 😉
Great dialogue too. On the Con gain in Nuneaton:
Dimbleby: “Er… what do you make of that?”
Pundits:
Harrriet Harman: “Er, um, well it depends what you mean by ‘what do you make of it?’ Er…”
Woe. Twitter is down.
Is there anything, *anything*, worse than impressionists on election coverage?
Yes. Red hot needles under the fingernails.
Londonpaper.com says that Boris is the only real choice for young and trendy Londoners. Apparently he’s endorsed by Thomas Pink. Clearly I’ve made the wrong decision here: this man has branding, and speaks to and for us yooves.
Christ almighty. This is depressing me. I want a cigarette.
I’m having a cigarette.
Especially if they’re John Culshaw not sounding like anyone you know. And not being remotely funny.
Bwahahahahahahahahahah Jowell looks like she’s going to burst into tears!
* cackle *
Twitter may be down. But does the Beeb care? Nope. It has Twaddle.
thats Tessa Jowell not Harriet Harman, but yeah it was funny to watch her squirm…
I know I wouldn’t get any champagne! but I’m great at sneaking booze into and out of parties. Its a long-developed speciality…
Penny are you sure the london paper endorsed Boris? I’m sure they said yesterdas..
OMG! Jeremy Vine in Wild Wild West graphic SHOCK!!!
Oh God. Vine, you’re embarrassing yourself AND the BBC, just STOP NOW.
Anyway, as I was saying – I’m sure the londonpaper said it wasn’t endorsing anyone….
My God this is awful!
The paper haven’t endorsed him, they’re just allowing their selection of ‘vox pops’ to do it for him. Oh, and their style section. Ken looks ‘like a baby’ and wears ‘charity shop clothes’, apparently.
What’s the article?
do it for him = do it for them. *handface*
… and the worst American accent *ever*. Has someone just put Class A drugs in my tea, or is this really happening?
BBC online is doing better:
0029 Rat news: Oxford academic Dr Frances Kennett who claimed that fortnightly bin collections had led to an infestation of rodents has lost his bid to become a Conservative councillor. She was taken to court by the council after she withheld part of her council tax over the matter.
I CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!!
I think the BBC has been using Andy Millman scripts for this stuff. Only logical explanation.
On the bright side, ‘Peep Show’ is back later today 🙂
Let me cheer everyone up… the BNP vote is collapsing in Sandwell
Whew, thanks Unity!
http://pennyred.blogspot.com/2008/05/election-feverdreams.html
From the wards in so far, the BNP vote is about half of what it was last year, round here.
God, give it up Tessa. You’re taking a pasting and much of it is your fault.
Always good to see the twunts losing seats.
BBC just flashed up that Labour have held Sandwell.
Haha they’re really padding this aren’t they.
Agree with Sunny.
Denham fantastically good and clear at getting his argument over. And sounds very straight-talking, not politico-speak
He’s giving a Fabian speech on Thursday about Labour in the south.
I like how Stalin (responsible for millions of deaths) is the most positive image they have for Brown and Mr Bean (cut the head off his teddy in one episode) is the worst. Do they even understand what Cable was saying?
Sunder: I thought he was poor frankly, saying that Labour’s supporters had stayed at home whilst the Liberals had collapsed, and I’m usually more than partial towards him.
Labour holding Sandwell was never in doubt – we could have lost all seats tonight and still had a majority
Nah, I dunno, I liked John Denham.
Dan – agreed. And I think even Vince Cable was looking uncomfortable at how far the BBC were taking the whole analogy and gleeing over it.
However awful Caroline Spelman is, it really doesn’t get much worse than “Buff” Hoon.
Ha ha! Ed is pretty bullish tonight. I like his line of thinking, I’m, just not convinced the govt will be able to make that case clearly…
I think Vince Cable should charge commission on Stalin->Bean.
Back to Stalin and Bean AGAIN. Good grief, the Beeb has moved to a witless, dignity-less universe. Playschool, but with less intelligence and irony.
For the sake of historical accuracy, I should point out that, in the posts above, Martha Kearney was in fact nowhere to be seen (it was the Beeb’s southwest anchor who flickered across my eyeline) and Harriet Harman was actually Tessa Jowell. How *that* got confused in my brain I’m not sure. BBC1 was *so* bad last night, it must have rotted my synapses.
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