UK 'Super Thursday'

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Wooo, what a lot of scary parties there are! A whole party for Pro-Life? Who are the 'English Democrats'? If we aren't voting for people but parties (in Europe), why is the Labour MP George Galloway's name actually on ballot papers next to the Respect coalition? Crazy scenes...

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:38 (twenty-two years ago)

The first time I've ever been confronted with the ¦3NP on the ballot paper, and although I knew it would be there, it came as quite a shock. Nasty.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:42 (twenty-two years ago)

And right at the top, too... I didn't know it would be there, which is, erm, insular of me.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Galloway got kicked out the party didn't he?

i'm surprised they've been allowed to call it "respect" as i thought the organisers of london's premier anti-racism summer day out (heavily supported by ken) might have complained that it could be misleading...

i'm voting tonight.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

My first reaction was to *do* something like scratch out their logo or somesuch but since anything like that would have spoilt the ballot paper, I dutifully put a little kiss in the box of the best lot to keep them out, like a good subject.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

The worst think about the ¦3NP on the ballot was the fact that due to strict alphabetization it came first. Boo. One of the voting ladies got in a tizzy about me taking my polling card away after I voted, I pointed out I didn't need it to vote so could have left it at home.

Ah I always feel good about voting.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:48 (twenty-two years ago)

The nice voting ladies at my Polling Station handed me my Polling Card back, so I took it away even though I didn't really want it.

I find voting oddly unfulfilling, but not as unfulfilling as going on demonstrations. You just like voting when you know that some other sucker has to count the papers, Pete.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Very disheartened by the whole experience. I made my mark, the most yuninspiring bunch i've had to vote for for some time.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

voting's GREAT tim, do you really not get a "wahey, i'm PARTICIPATING in DEMOCRACY" feeling? i know i do :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with Carsmile. I haven't voted yet, cos I'm waiting for the postman to turn up with my fuXXoring Glasto tickets.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Demos are awful, it's true, but I do get a mild buzz out of voting -- which is probably pathetic.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I get a "oh, was that my participation in democracy then?" feeling. (Though I do participate in other ways too, obv).

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I got a photocopied leaflet from the UKIP the other day. it even had spelling mistakes. Pls hold me back whilst i rush to vote for them!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)

It's definitely cooler to be excited about voting than to be all miserable about it like me. I'm jealous of your buzz and would hate to harsh it.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I will vote this evening, after ordering a recycling crate and going to the library. I may even help an old lady across the road, oh what a model citizen am I. ¦3NP blokey looks comically evil in his manifesto picture.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:02 (twenty-two years ago)

From the Guardian:

As for the BNP, its electioneering scales new heights of sophistication. In one recent press release, the party describes its top campaign team driving through cities basking in thumbs-ups from black residents. Another contains what may well be an exclusive revelation. "The government is already planning to build five giant new cities, each the size of Birmingham, over the next 30 years to house over 5 million new immigrants." Can there be such a thing, in local election strategy, as being too clever by half?

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

The woman at my polling staton this morning asked if I wanted her to 'throw your polling card away for you'. I clutched it to me though, since I slightly suspected her of corruption.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:29 (twenty-two years ago)

i hope i get the democratic buzz tonight after going all the way back to NW6 (that's North West Zone 6, not postal code) to vote and then all the way back to Harringay afterwards...

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:31 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a truly biblical journey, stevem -- make sure you take a pregnant woman with you.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I voted this morning.
That Euro ballot paper was huge! I couldn't believe how big it was.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

...it was hard to get it in the slot.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, maybe you can help -- I totally recognized the guy behind the desk there -- do you know who he was? Possibly he employed me as a temp at some point.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

it was the first time i've ever voted in a polling station, as i've always voted by post before. i was kind of surprised that i didn't need to give any form of id or anything; i didn't get a polling card (useless royal mail), so all i did was point at my name on a list. quite a lot of opportunity for fraud, i'd've thought.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I was upset to be told that the ballot paper was not to be folded. Folding the ballot paper is the key symbol of the secret ballot. I half expected to see a lackey of the local Laird outside in a whipping kind of mood.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you may have had to go to the other table. They were women on the table I went to.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Mm, there was a lady and this guy. It was on Blue Boar St.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I had to fold the ballot paper three times just to get it in the slot!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:41 (twenty-two years ago)

oh right, different polling station! My polling station is St Matthews Parish Centre, Marlboro Rd.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Archel: gasp! We had to place ours face down in a funny tray thing. I think they were going to be read and counted by modern information computing technology.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:42 (twenty-two years ago)

bah, modern information computing technology taking away the right of local government workers/bank clerks to earn a few quid counting ballots...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Mine was truly old-school foldation all the way. Gah, Tim and his edgy multi-culti-info-technology.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:44 (twenty-two years ago)

We had to show a special embossed mark to the man. However he didn't look very interested in it.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm surprised (as always) by the lack of ID required as surely it means unofficial proxy voting becomes all too easy (darn why didn't i think of that...)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

You used to get good money being a poll clerk.

I fucked my postal ballot up, like a tit.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:48 (twenty-two years ago)

How did Herod cope without CHADS, etc?

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah. Matt is going with his blind friend to help him vote later. I don't really understand how official proxy voting works, but the people there this morning didn't seem like they'd stop Matt from marking Colin's form for him, tbh...

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)

That old-fashioned voting might be alright for the provinces but we wouldn't tolerate it in our high-intensity just-in-time hyper-hip London polling life.

My polling station was some kind of baptist church.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)

has there actually been a discussion thread about eg the london mayoral election, btw?!

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:54 (twenty-two years ago)

At my polling station there didn't seem to be any effort at secrecy. No curtains on the booths, no folding papers (I know that's standard for this)... and some helpful guy there took my papers and put them in the boxes. I'm sure this can't be right. Especially as he got a good look at my votes. And the woman with the register was deaf so I had to shout my name and address, so this guy knows Everything.
xpost by a mile.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 10 June 2004 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)

the no curtains thing is to make they can keep an eye on you - make sure you don't sneak extra voting cards out of your coat, etc.

― Vicky (Vicky), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:04 (twenty-two years ago)

That makes sense. I can't believe they're allowed to take your cards though. Well if the BNP are successful in my area I'll know whom to blame.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:09 (twenty-two years ago)

is there actually chance of norris being mayor, or is that just wishful thinking from the evening standard?

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:10 (twenty-two years ago)

actually william hill apparently have norris at 6-1 and ken at 1-12, so i probably shouldn't worry.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:11 (twenty-two years ago)

beanz, it's not *really* a secret ballot anyway, because they write your ballot paper number next to your name, so in theory one could go through and work out who voted for what. this was partly why my grandfather rarely voted...

our polling station is also some sort of church, although it was good to see the school at the bottom of the road being used too. they always used to use my primary school, then one year they thought, "hang on, why don't we use the community centre, then we won't have to shut the school". a sad day...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:13 (twenty-two years ago)

i feel left out! does anyone know how long (if ever) i have to live here before i can vote? someone asked me the other day and i have no idea...i know basics about immigration and dual citizenship and stuff, but don't know if i'd be able to vote even if i end up like that...

― colette (a2lette), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:15 (twenty-two years ago)

If you end up with british ,or indeed any other european citizenship, you will be able to vote.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:18 (twenty-two years ago)

i *think* you need to be a citizen and on the electoral reegister and that's it...

...oh, and not be in prison or a loony.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:19 (twenty-two years ago)

CarsmileSteve: good point (xpost)
Dirty tricks allegations

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:21 (twenty-two years ago)

...oh, and not be in prison or a loony.

oh darn. well, it was worth asking...

― colette (a2lette), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

BBC LONDON last night said Norris and Livingstone were neck and neck. Arse and tit more like. Livingstone in the bag, though we won't find out officially until about 2pm tomorrow I guess.

Livingstone being the official Labour candidate won't hurt him because the other three elections in London give the vote plenty of chances to give the Labours a bloody nose.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I always enjoy the experience if only cos I get to peek at the electoral roll and see the names of people on my street who I never talk to (and see who's voted before me - I performed my duty at 7:40am). I was impressed by the smoothness of the slide into the box; it felt hi-tech lo-tech.

I was confronted by the prickly issue of tactical voting this morning - if the London mayoral contest is really as close as recent polls suggest and if one can expect UK!P and !3NP supporters to give their second vote to Norris, then, if one wanted to keep Ken, I guess it would make sense to 'throw away' your first choice on a candidate not likely to feature in the top two and vote for Ken as #2. Of course, if enough people do this, Norris will win on first ballot with more than 50% of the vote.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:29 (twenty-two years ago)

bah, bluddy non-first past the post electoral systems stuffing up my all night telly watching...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:31 (twenty-two years ago)

from beanz's FT link:

The police in Lancashire and Manchester are looking into claims that some voters have been intimidated into handing over their blank ballot papers. Others have been forced to vote for a particular party, it has been claimed.

WHY IS NO ONE SAYING WHICH PARTY THIS IS????

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:33 (twenty-two years ago)

no one meaning none of the news outlets, that is.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I heard that they weren'y going to start counting the london assembly and mayor ballot papers until tomorrow morning!

― Vicky (Vicky), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I do realise it's nonsense cos all the votes are added together anyway - a #2 vote isn't more important than a #1 vote for a candidate likely to feature in the top two. Be interesting to see which way the swing is when it goes to the second ballot though (does anyone think it might not?)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2004/vote_2004/3758863.stm

peter snow says:

The displays I will be controlling are more technologically advanced than any I've seen before. There will be a huge amphitheatre behind me which will show the European parliament and - when I'm talking about the local elections - the council chamber of a town hall.

marvellous, 11.35 - 2.30 bbc 1.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Always use your first choice for who you want to win. Your second choice is only going to be used if your first is ruled out, but it jst gets added on to the original number.

So if you vote Ken first and mickey mouse second and Ken gets 25,000 votes and mickey mouse being ruled out won't get any extra (and it won't be used). Vote Mickey Mouse first and Ken second, Ken gets 24,999 votes and only gets you vote (which will give him 25,000) if Mickey Mouse is ruled out. But he has got an extra vote which means he might suddenly be in that first list.

Mucking around tactically with voting systems never works (trust me, I run elections).

B-BUT the only elections counted tonight are the Council ones. The Euro ones we need to wait til Sunday.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:41 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, and there's ANOTHER PROGRAMME THEN!!!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:43 (twenty-two years ago)

(trust me, I run elections)

Is the slow progress of the DYS hott 100 (any thread yet?) down to IJ Pete Baran's work as a globe-trotting, pork-barrelling gerrymanderer?

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I voted by post. Ha ha, you oiks have to walk.

I can't believe anyone is going to vote for Norris. He hasn't even shagged anyone recently.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:52 (twenty-two years ago)

our polling station has a moat

― chris (chris), Thursday, 10 June 2004 10:54 (twenty-two years ago)

True, Pete. I'm still wondering about the make up of the non-Livingstone/non-Norris voting minority and how their secondary allegiances tot up. It's not so simple as "all votes for A" vs "all votes for B", it's "all votes for A minus those who like B more" vs "all votes for B minus those who like A more", as secondary votes on ballot papers where the primary vote is for a candidate in the top two are discarded.

It's not inconceivable that Ken gets more crosses next to his name across all ballots (Norris supporters who like him a bit giving him the edge) but still loses when the minority votes are counted.

This is just mindless speculation (it's probably too polarised for Tories to go for Labour second unless on some bizarro ignore-the-candidate pro-war thing). I'm doing a documentary on Slade, cut me some slack here.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't receive a single leaflet through my letterbox so I don't know anything about the candidates in my area. I've caught one and a half party political broadcasts, the one being for Operation Christian Vote and the half being for UKIP. Both were marvellous, but I will vote for neither.

What time do the polling stations close this evening? I'm going late night shopping with Sally and Arantxa after work.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:07 (twenty-two years ago)

If you want a DYS Hoot 100 thread I guess you can start it. 84 is coming by 4pm.

I think the only sizable third majority really is the Lib Dems, and I can't see them voting Norris second. The Lib Dems second vote will probably flit betwixt Labour and the Greens. This being London lib Dems (clearly this is not the way Lib Dems operate nationally).

Mike Jone is All Krazy Now.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:08 (twenty-two years ago)

10pm

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:12 (twenty-two years ago)

It's Crazee! Bah!

Sorry, just musing aloud on the aberrations we might have with this system (which we won't).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw the guy from the Christian Alliance walking to work across the Thames.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

is that a walking on water joke?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes. Now better it.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 10 June 2004 11:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Isn't "vote for who you want first, vote for who you want else second" tactical voting?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Mike's words on tactical voting threw me. I believed what doc Baran said: ie. that all votes were totted up. Now I am not Saussure.

I voted for Ken, and Darren Johnson second. And Greens for the rest.

TH may be right about the oddity of the BNP turning up: I had not thought about it. There are other nasties around too - maybe that diffused the effect.

I enjoy voting greatly: the magnitude, the drama, the responsibility, the quietness, the ... civic spirit? of those who staff the stations.

Voting today makes me recall walking to the old imposing Smithsian Victorian school at the bottom of the road where I did much of my growing up, to vote for the first time in a General Election in 1992. In fact, before I was ever allowed to vote there, I still used to wait at the door to count exiting Labour voters and run back up the road to feed the data into the Labour Committee Rooms.

Clearly this had an effect on the politics of the 1980s.

I can't understand people not wanting to vote. I feel that they lack a clue.

― the junefox, Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember not wanting to vote at the first set of elections I was eligible for, in our Tory-dominated constituency. I voted anyway, mind, and had an early blast of the feeling of helplessness and frustration mentioned above.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't receive a single leaflet through my letterbox so I don't know anything about the candidates in my area.

Right, totally -- who are the 'English Democrats'? I'm guessing right-wing.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:15 (twenty-two years ago)

That was my guess also, and I'm not googling them.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

My first taste of voting was 1997, which may have positively affected my willingness to vote ever since. On the other hand...

No, it did, if only in that it was an election which showed that things COULD change and I felt a part of that.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

from bbc site:

The EDP says it wants European cooperation and trade but not a "political entity" which undermines national independence, sovereignty and democratic institutions.

It was founded to campaign for an English Parliament in the wake of devolution to Scotland and Wales.

Among its other demands are recognition for traditional counties, including the reunification of Yorkshire, and greater autonomy for Cornwall.

The party is fielding candidates in the South East, North West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber and London

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

in fact, all the parties at a glance:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3726803.stm

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:19 (twenty-two years ago)

SCOTTISH WIND WATCH??????? WTF???

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you think the EDP split from UKIP because they don't like the Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish?

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Fart smellers I'm a guessing.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I shall form a pro-europe pro-imigration party. I will also be pro emmigration of all UKIP, tory and BNP supporters, join me.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps the next step is to lose Yorkshire, Cornwall... Lancashire... it will whittle down to Salisbury, the town centre of Lavenham and a token seaport on the Orwell.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

it's at times like this that i realise that we, in fact, live in a nation of CRACKPOTS, but fortunately hopelessly divided crackpots...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Crouch End Popular Front

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

they should all be made to stand in the Wash.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

splitter!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I yearn for the days when the minority parties were benign crackpots like the Buckethead Party and Monster Raving Loony Party, rather than the dangerous crackpots who appear to have taken their place.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the Tories would still be a strong political force if instead of Portillo saying "three letters to strike pride into the hearts of any British person, S.A.S" he said "A.B.C" and Martin Fry came out in a gold suit to sing The Look of Love.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Did he say that about the SAS? Fuck.

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Lord Buckethead actually had very sound environmental policies

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Portillo had a chance to be the Tories best hope of a Prime Minister this decade but no he chose pink shirts and Andrew Neall (fair enough).

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

....and Lord Sutch was v. proud of the policies he had when the Monster Loonies started which were subsequently adopted e.g. lowering the voting age to 18 and building the Channel Tunnel.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Screaming Lord Sutch hanged himself, no?

The Portillo speech is very famous, although I paraphrased it a little.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

SAS is only two letters. One is repeated. Idiot Portillo.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Screaming Lord Sutch hanged himself, no?

well, he committed suicide by one method or another.

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Two letter S's constitutes two letters, albeit not distinct from each other. Idiot Pete.

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

i thought Lord Sutch's policy re the Channel Tunnel was to fill it with jelly and invite tubby chancers to guzzle their way to le prix

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

A bold (if sticky) immigration policy.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

apparently he released some records too. Has anyone heard any of them?

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

My first vote was 1 day after my 18th Birthday. sadly, it was the 1992 general Election, which at least got me used to defeat < / O'Farrell lite >

We shouldn't be voting on Thursday. We too should vote on Sundays (thought this Sunday would have been k-rub) Alternative is to give everyone a day off and call it a democracy day and then everyone will like voting more, in the same way I think my democratic predilections are based on getting days of school as a kid as school became a polling station.

random fact - the polling station I vote at in 2001 was a school, but the Caretaker wasn't around to open up, so the first few people voted in the back of the estate car being driven by the returning officer.

random fact 2 - I can't believe we've not had a discussion of d'Hondt.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Returning officer: "Right, child locks are on and I'm going to keep on driving until you've put your x next to the Monster Raving Loonies"

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm far more likely to vote on my way to work than on a Sunday!

― Enrique (Enrique), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

lord sutch, the musician, was basically a proto alice cooper wasn't he?

d'Hondt?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, and his band was called THE PIRATES!

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)

meh. i still like voting even tho aware will prob change nowt. annoyed that i scared myself into voting ken first for mayor rather than nice working class party lady whose policies all made SENSE first because of FEAR that all those pointless cunts in 4 wheel drives/jeeps/whatever (and there are MILLIONS of them, i get nearly killed nightly) will vote norris purely on strength of ken having hammerheaded through the wondrous and laudable thing that is the congestion charge (he can go fuck himself with those bus ticket machines tho). i did like the fact that i got to go in the school at the end of my road for the first time ever. one of the returning officers bellowed at me about eighteen times "FACE DOWN! FACE DOWN!" yes, it's alright, i can read enormous capital letters. oh. maybe he meant me, not the ballot paper.

― emsk, Thursday, 10 June 2004 19:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I've had a grand total of 8 votes to cast this year, being a resident in two places half a year each; 2 for the Euro elections, and 6 for the councils; I've thus actually been able to cast my votes between the different parties (obv. excluding Tories, BNP and UKIP and whoever the bloody English Democrats are!) to quite a fair degree, and depending on which area. i.e. I'm far more willing to vote Labour in Sunderland than in Cambridge, partly as the BNP are such a presence there on the ballots, and Labour are the party would stand to be beaten by the BNP in the north, not the LDs.

― Tom May (Tom May), Thursday, 10 June 2004 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

what does Prof. Carmody have to say about the Euro elections?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 10 June 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

d'Hondt is the system of PR used to allocate seats within the regions...

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I was a poll clerk today. The money is still quite good. There was a lot of poll-card induced confusion/angst hanging about - basically so long as they can tell us their name and address then it's OK for them to vote. There are rules about what to do in case of impersonation, cos it'd be bloody easy to do, but we didn't have to use them today. I don't think we did, anyway.

Very few people had many kind words to say about the merging together of the elections, and quite a lot found themselves confused by the various ballot-paper/ballot box/DO NOT FOLD THE BALLOT PAPER, PUT IT IN FACE DOWN, THANK YOU. By and large these people were quite elderly, or had certainly voted in a few elections before. The ones who took to it easiest were the first-time voters.

ANother reason why the backs of the poll booths are open is so the poll clerks can see if a voter requires assistance in completing the form. A lot of the voters at our station were elderly or didn't have English as their first language, and needed assistance in voting.

The taking of ballot papers and putting them into the boxes is also cos people were having a lot of trouble remembering not to fold them or put them in face down so we couldn't see them. It eventually gets instinctive...

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Should add - I didn't actually take people's ballot papers off them myself. There was just a lot of reminding people of the correct way to put them in the box.

As for the new right-wingers rising - that was fucking depressing, yes, havign to spend all day with the ballot papers in front of me resisting the urge to gob on the BNP's box. The dodgy organisation of this election cannot have helped the government one little bit, and any of the parties that go a-moaning about excessive bureaucracy (esp. 'in Brussels') probably benefitted from the sheer confusion of the election itself.

UKIP was odd, though. Kilroy-Silk's a spokesman yet missing from all the MEP and mayoral list. Instead, they've got Frank Maloney. He used to manage Lennox Lewis.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:32 (twenty-two years ago)

word of warning - i voted here in wandsworth and the turnout seemed massive - i had to queue for ages. and i don't wish to stereotype, but if any of the people i saw didn't vote conservative i would be extremely amazed. have fear that inner london's shire tendencies may swing election in chaotic direction. have stronger fear of waking up in a london with a tory mayor - for me this would defeat much of my pride in the city (and i couldn't cope with repeal of the congestion charge)

― fletcher dexter, Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:35 (twenty-two years ago)

FD - that's where I was poll-clerking (St Nicholas Chruch, Tooting). I couldn't honestly tell what anyone was doing.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:37 (twenty-two years ago)

BBC 1 full of heavyweights Dimbelby, Kelner, Marr and Snow etal

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:42 (twenty-two years ago)

anyone watching?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Vote 2004
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2004/vote_2004/

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:47 (twenty-two years ago)

WBS - i was just off trinity road sw18. it was a bit of a sloaney love-in but as usual the polling station had nice pictures by kids on the wall.

DJM - yes, i am watching.

― fletcher dexter, Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:49 (twenty-two years ago)

but where is everyone else?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Asleep?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I voted in the hall of my old infants school. I only ever set foot in there now on election days - its most disturbing. I had to sit in there every day at ages 5-7 and now I go in there periodically to do one of the things that above all makes me A Grown Up. Weird.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Interesting looking at the results so far, admittedly wih a number of the main urban centres still to even start counting, things don't look that great. Still not a single tory councillor in places like Manchester and Oxford (Tories did gain Trafford yes). So far Tamworth and Trafford are the only Tory gains that stand out. They haven't even bettered billy hague's share of the vote in the last Locals on this scale. The Tories not gaining in Woking and only 2 seats in Basingstoke with both councils staying NOC is hardly a resounding sucess.

I expect Sheffield to go Liberal and look forward to an interesting result in Birmingham. However the North East looks the most interesting of all.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 05:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Carlisle and Barrow with Labour gains is interesting as well. Especially Barrow. Maybe Barrow likes a war (it builds warships after all) but I'd have thought that barrow would have been pretty pissed off with having its destroyer contract moved up to scotland and a possible end o surfaceship building at Barrow.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 05:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't vote. I'm sorry. I'm not on the Electoral Rolls because the cheap bastard would have had to have paid 25% more council tax had I been. I should have nicked his ballot paper while he was in Derby, turned up and gone "Why, yes, my name is actually Jo" if they don't check ID, and voted for Ken just to annoy him.

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Friday, 11 June 2004 06:58 (twenty-two years ago)

it was very sad yesterday, we bumped into our neighbour on the way out, he was so upset, his father had been a Labour activist and staunch supporter, his brother still is a party member and activist, yet Dave couldn't do it and threw his hat in the green ring. poor fella, you could see it was eating him up.

― chris (chris), Friday, 11 June 2004 07:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I wanted to freaking DISEMBOWEL the bloody Respect Party yesterday afternoon as they were driving around all day SHOUTING through one of those loudspeaker things attached to a car roof. The funniest bit though was when the woman forgot to turn off her microphone as they went down an alley to reverse and we heard, very loudly "FUCKING PIDGEONS" booming over their speakers.

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Friday, 11 June 2004 07:31 (twenty-two years ago)

holy shit, this is looking frightening. 26% for labour?! not that i exactly think they're brilliant, but still... been listening to r4 since about 6.30 and they're banging on and on about how it's the worst result for a governing party in electoral history. also am now quite glad i scaremongered myself into voting ken first as it looks like it's going to be less than a 55-45 margin whichever way it goes.

― emsk, Friday, 11 June 2004 07:35 (twenty-two years ago)

i stayed up, but it wasn't exactly classic was it, i mean, they only seemed to be counting in about ten places, lazy buggers...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 07:38 (twenty-two years ago)

God, if the anti-war Labour backlash has affected Ken, that's just so freaking stupid considering he has been the most consistently anti-war politician... But more likely it's the idiots who want to drive SUVs on London streets who are going to vote in some fuckwit who scraps the congestion charge and lets the busses become shit again and then I'll never be able to get to work again. Argh.

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Friday, 11 June 2004 07:41 (twenty-two years ago)

The conservative spokesman was lying out of his arse on Today this morning when he said that the Tories had 'doubled their representation in Sunderland'. Up by a third, yes, doubled, no.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I think teh Greenz beat Lab in my ward. I don't want the Tories, but they've left the country with few options.

― Henry K M (Enrique), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I fucking forgot. After spending all day reminding myself. It was because we were supposed to be going to dinner at a friend's. stopping at the polling station on the way, but the dinner was postponed. Bugger.

Please consider that the Lib Dems received one more vote in each poll in Wandsworth.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:33 (twenty-two years ago)

i was slightly confused last nite when they were talking about oxford, i thought it was lib dem/green coalition when i lived there, but they were talking about labour losing it last night...

ed is that up to 3 seats from 2?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Erm, I think abt two years ago Lab must've done well in Oxford yeah. It's now 'no overall control'. I temped in the Council offices a bit. They are having a frickin laugh. The paving of Cornmarket is no trivial matter!!!!!!!

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:39 (twenty-two years ago)

12 up from 9

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Thee BBC interactive results map is lots of fun.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/vote2004/locals/flash_map/html/local_intro.stm

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:57 (twenty-two years ago)

DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE PAVING OF CORNMARKET!!!

that would explain why the lib dems lost two years ago though...

there are also some posh bits of sunderland, honest...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't doubt it I was meerly commenting on mr tory boy's flagging this up as a great victory for conservatism

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 09:00 (twenty-two years ago)

haha Carsmile have you seen the new 'benches'???? conceptual art, deconstructing out tired notions of 'sitting' and 'comfort'.

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 11 June 2004 09:01 (twenty-two years ago)

haven't been up for a year or so, so no, i just remember the grillion quid they spent of those cobbles that they then had to rip up 6 months later...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

so when's the mayoral result expected?

― toby (tsg20), Friday, 11 June 2004 09:09 (twenty-two years ago)

afternoon, depends on whethervthey need second preferences or not

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

i believe coverage on bbcldn starts about 3, when no doubt they'll have an idea...

i hope i have finally voted for someone who has won...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 09:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Those benches are kinda almost fascinating in their complete unsittable awfulness, yeah! It has to be deliberate, right? To stop loitering or something?

― Gregory Henry (Gregory Henry), Friday, 11 June 2004 10:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Totally -- you do see people try it (obv I tell them not to), but I reckon it's to minimize the language-school-kids-outside-mcdonalds factor.

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 11 June 2004 10:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I stole a tennis raquet of a French language school student once. I oly regret not hitting him with it as well. And I hate tennis.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 11 June 2004 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I stayed up till about 2 am watching the BBC last night: strangely, utterly compelled by Marr (oh, those arpeggios), Trevelyan (despite that stingy relief campaign) and Reid (some crunching tackles and top scouse wit).

― the bellefox, Friday, 11 June 2004 11:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw Tommy Sheridan megaphoning on Buchanan Street last night. He disappeared when it started pissing it down.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 11 June 2004 11:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I live in Trafford, but it's not my fault.

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 11 June 2004 11:55 (twenty-two years ago)

...one of our liberal candidates is known as Eric B. I know he got soul.

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 11 June 2004 11:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Eric Bristow is what passes for a Liberal round Tag's way.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 11 June 2004 11:58 (twenty-two years ago)

PF, are you confusing the minister for newsnight with the coventry manager?

also, always good to hear Tony King and try and work out where his accent comes from...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Tim, do you think you could pass as an Eric Bristow?

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Carsmile: ehm, to be fur -- corrECT.

Come to think of it -- could King be a bit Canadian?

― the bluefox, Friday, 11 June 2004 12:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Tag: only with the light behind me.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Just the way I like you.

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

You say the sweetest things.

Oh, hold on...

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I am holding on. For dear life. It's a bumpy ride.

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Cheap life.

We're spoiling this thread. We should stop.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:08 (twenty-two years ago)

i think it's a scottish living in north america for 25 years-type accent.

strangely on the election '79 repeat on may bank holiday, King's predecessor, whose name i forget, had EXACTLY the same accent, maybe it's the psephologist's version of RP.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought it was sweet that the Communists party candidate's middle name was Ivan. He's lived the life, man

― chris (chris), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Carsmile: Robert McKenzie. He had more of the Peter Snow role though - the very first instance of the swingometer, I think.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

(And McKenzie was Canadian-born).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.essex.ac.uk/government/staff/academic/kinga.shtm

well King's first degree was from canada...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3796573.stm

too close to call!!!

meep!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Last night they sounded confident for Ken.

― the bellefox, Friday, 11 June 2004 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Grauniad thinks he's safe, even if it's close - http://politics.guardian.co.uk/elections2004/story/0,14549,1236758,00.html

― cis (cis), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

go ken!

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Newscastle going LD shows more than any of the conservative gains I think.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

every time i see LD i think "lesbian dwarves" for some reason...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:28 (twenty-two years ago)

haha news just in: Newcastle goes Liz Daplyn

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Lusty Denise.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

liquid dung

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/vote2004/locals/html/scoreboard.stm

who are IKHH? they have no councillors, so why do they get a separate line?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Imperial Kingdom of Horatio Hornblower.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Go Ken, Ken. Yes.

― the bellefox, Friday, 11 June 2004 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

google says they are a chess team...

http://www.sccu.ndo.co.uk/9899/rdc.htm

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

the backlash Ken is facing:

a: the congestion charge, very unpopular with the petrolheads [also Ken outsourced the jobs to Coventry, not looking after London's interests]

b: ken loses his maverick independence rejoining the labour party

c: the labour party not popular with many voters due to Iraq, and more right wing policies such as tuition fees.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

but he's KEN! also the alternative is SHAGGER NORRIS!!!!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

d. irritiating voice and cheap demagoguery.

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

there were other alternatives on the ballot such as Simon Hughes and um.... wacky Frank Maloney

Norris will the get the petrolheads vote.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

BUT KEN WAS ALWAYS ANTI-WAR!!!

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not like he's suddenly started supporting the war since he rejoined the Labour Party, has he?

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

But people will assume that, in rejoining the Party, he's gone soft on the war-mongers and Their War. And so on.

― cis (cis), Friday, 11 June 2004 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

well no kate, but, "he has rejoined the party"="quite how against the war is he?" in some strange people's minds...

x-post

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Although... wait, when /did/ he rejoin the Party? Was a while back, wasn't it?

I'm more inclined to think that, with Ken, it's more a question of personality than party - but if people think of his specifically as 'the labour candidate' they might well assume he's representative of the party line.

― cis (cis), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

he was the official Labour party candidate = therefore sitting duck for protest vote, there ain't no fat franky dobson this time around !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

i think ken rejoined sometime in 2003, google to find out

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

not before the war though, unless i am mistaken...

anyway, WHERE ARE MY DAMN RESULTS??? maybe the hyper efficient scanners aren't working...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 11 June 2004 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Conservatives have won:

Barnet and Camden
Croydon and Sutton
Brent and Harrow

Lab won:

City and East
Lambeth and Southwark
Enfield and Harringay

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Ed, don't do that to me. A slow scroll suggested that Norris had it...

(I wish the BBC front page did not have Patrick 'Mad As A Hatter Macgooghan" on it, he looks unerring like Norris to me).

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:29 (twenty-two years ago)

So far thats 226,805 constituency AM votes to the conservatives and 208,291 to lab. Even assuming people don't split tickets it comes down to second preferences and there are still other constituencies to come in. The constituency boundaries are a bunch of arse though. CAmden and Barnet what the fuck is that?

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Bexley and Bromley
Ealing and Hillingdon
South West

all elected conservative members

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.londonelects.org.uk/

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

UKIP put labour into 4th in bexley and bromley

ooh eck

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

in fact UKIP and Respect pretty strong all around.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I told you Bexley and Bromley were fucking shit, didn't I?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

The hipsterwideboy they intervied on ldn voted UKIP becausehe thought 'the asylum situation is getting out of hand'. twat arsehole cunt

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:42 (twenty-two years ago)

We are truly in a third 50s

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:42 (twenty-two years ago)

How do people KNOW the asylum system is getting out of hand? The average Londoner wouldn't even have noticed if they weren't being told about it in five different papers every single day...

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Damn these asylum seekers coming over here cleaning our toilets, hoovering our offices, it shouldn't be alowed.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:51 (twenty-two years ago)

also for that matter broadcasting our tv, building our broadcast playout systems and training our broadcasters (as he three iraqi refugees at work do)

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I have been mysteriously removed from the electoral roll, so no vote for me.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:54 (twenty-two years ago)

But as we know, Matt, even middle class suburban Londoners mix with a melting pot of different cultures every day.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

we wrote to your council and told them you were a loony

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

A question: did UKIP challenge for many Council seats outside London? There is a clear incentive to stand for the London Assembly because the proportional representation system benefits them. That soesn't really apply elsewhere though.

And the percentage change in vote share for the big 3 parties that we're seeing so far in London (compared to 2000 election) on only a slightly increased turnout (Labour down 6% on average, Lib Dims 0% to +3%, Con -2% to +2%) doesn't really translate into the scary overall percentages nationally that were mentioned this morning on the back of the Council election results.

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't think so. That's the BNPs turf, think of them as two sides of the same coin or the ABC1 and C2DE aspect of the same grouping

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

UKIP 148 wards contested, BNP 80 wards contested

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

so far BNP 7 councilors up 4 and UKIP 2 up 1

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

YAY KEN!

― cis (cis), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

It's Ken

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Surprisingly he got more 2nd pref votes than Norris; in fact, Norris's 2nd pref votes were announced first and weren't enough to close the 140k+ gap from the first round.

Ken : 685541 + 142839 = 828380 (55.4%)
Steve: 542423 + 124755 = 667178 (44.6%)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

phew

double the congestion charge now please

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

damnit I need birmingham, epping forest and the london top up now

― Ed (dali), Friday, 11 June 2004 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The local BBC news was going on about "First UKIP councillor in Britain elected in our area!" They interviewed him. He's a Hull newsagent, and the feeling I got from the interview was that he's not at all bright.

(or maybe I'm just a snob. Bad grammar didn't stop Prescott, after all.)

― caitlin (caitlin), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, it's not all that surprising that Livingstone got more 2nd pref votes considering that Lib Dems got 284k votes to BNP/UKIP's combined 174k.

Ken actually got a grand total of 251k 2nd pref votes (which means nearly 20% of Norris voters liked Ken second) and Norris got 223k (14% of Kennites went silver on Shagger). LD got 465k best-loser nods and the Greens 209k.

The BNP beating the Greens on 1st pref is pretty depressing.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

go ken!

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Other statistical tidbits:

Norris won only 3 of 14 constituencies on 1st pref: Croydon & Sutton (grr), Bromley & Bexley and West Central. Respect's overall 5th place comes chiefly from their performances in City & East (3rd!) and North East (4th). Simon Hughes beat Norris into 3rd in Lambeth & Southwark.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry, I'm spouting electoral balls - Norris also won Havering & Redbridge. Respect had the greatest deviation in local performance: from 0.6% of the vote in Bekkksley & Bromley to an amazin' 12% in City & East.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

On the second preferene run-off, Livingstone was only down by 2.5% from 2000; far more comfortable than was predicted, eh?

Considering that, to my knowledge, the UKIP, BNP and CPA were the other parties of the right, and only got about 11% between them, it's not surprising that Norris couldn't break through further.

― Tom May (Tom May), Friday, 11 June 2004 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Michael; BNP beating Greens... aye, too right. But, Respect weren't around last time, and they clearly split the left vote.

There may have been less of a Labour % as last time in terms of Dobson/Livingstone making up 52.1% then, but the other centre-left/left parties actually did much better:

2000 LD 13.1, GP 2.2.
2004 LD 15.2, GP 3.1, Respect 3.6.

― Tom May (Tom May), Friday, 11 June 2004 21:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Phew. I can continue my househunt without worrying that the busses will cease. Double the congestion charge? Just ban private cars from the centre of London and institute whopping fines. Woo!

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Saturday, 12 June 2004 07:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree with DC: asylum seekers are a legend to most people: something they have heard about, but never seen evidence of.

― the kenfox, Saturday, 12 June 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

The weird thing is, that most people conflate "asylum seekers" with "beggars". In my last job, my department actually worked with asylum seekers. It was eye-opening on one level, in that this was a hospital treating the physical effects of torture. It was eye-opening on another level, as a department that was desperately looking for medical translators, having doctors, scientists, educated people that they were not allowed to employ. Anyway, this hearsay, basically what my old boss at the hospital told me, but it certainly put the whole controversy in a completely different light.

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Saturday, 12 June 2004 09:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Time to move back to Italy I think.

I am apalled by the strength of the UKIP vote, and the strength of the BNP vote as well, I know they got no seats, but UKIP plus BNPplus englishdemocrat beats labour in the shareof the vote.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 June 2004 05:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I always thought we'd run out of racists when every member of a particular generation had died but sadly they just keep making more of the fuckers.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 14 June 2004 06:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, the only areas where BNP support is reassuringly low (3-4%) are where UKIP are returning MEPs. Xenophobia finds a home on an 'anti-bureaucracy/anti-corruption' ticket and RK-S gets a new job out of it.

We're still waiting for Scotland/Northern Ireland Euro results, yes? At least an opportunity there for the UK-wide Tory share to fall even further below 1832 Reform Act levels. Small comfort.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 14 June 2004 06:57 (twenty-two years ago)

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