UK Local Elections : May 1st 2008

[afleitch]

All the best btw

[afleitch]

Local Elections Coverage (so far confirmed)

BBC One Network
12.05am - 6.00am Election Night 2008
Hosted by David Dimbleby, with Jermery Vine and the BBC political correspondents for Wales, London, the Midlands and the North West.

I'll be at home this year Last year I hung about the count until the last machine packed in and called it a day. The plus side was I ended up passing luke warm tea to the media people and then having biscuits and watching the returns on the tv screens in the hall. One big happy family. Apart from 'those who shall not be named' not sitting with the rest of us. They hogged all the good seats, so much for being 'Christian'

Are you going to be at the count Harry?

[afleitch]

I'll be at home this year Last year I hung about the count until the last machine packed in and called it a day. The plus side was I ended up passing luke warm tea to the media people and then having biscuits and watching the returns on the tv screens in the hall. One big happy family. Apart from 'those who shall not be named' not sitting with the rest of us. They hogged all the good seats, so much for being 'Christian' Are you going to be at the count Harry?

I most certainly will be (with mobile phone switched to "wobble mode" whenever a ward in the Crewe and Nantwich constituency declares), based on what happened in 2004, Ciliau Aeron should be one of the first wards to declare (I expect before 11.30pm) and if I can find a way of texting the result to someone who's a member of this board, I can try and get the Ceredigion result by 1.00am.

I gave a radio interview to an Irish woman. I have no idea if it was ever broadcast

[afleitch]

Wales should get STV Just think of the multi member wards!

(This seems to be the day for me saying stuff about STV)

[afleitch]

And in the 1982 Glasgow Hillhead by-election (won by Roy Jenkins) someone called Douglas Parkin changed his name by deed poll to Roy Jenkins and ran for a party also called the SDP...

Looking it over, I duscovered that the weird thing is that other SDP was actually the older of the two parties to use the name, having been founded two years earlier than its more famous cousin.

The idea of a Social Democratic party had been formenting for a good while, certainly within Labour circles since the 50's (even pre war actually) and by the 70's increasingly outwith the Labour Party, with the election of Dick Taverne (Democratic Labour) in 73 for example, though that was more of a personal vote. Then came the Manifesto Group, yadda yadda and then we know how the story goes from there.

As for the chap who stood in Hillhead he was unrelated to all that. He was overshadowed bless him.

[afleitch]

Shame Scotland isn't voting

Though they do intend to stagger the elections after the debacle last year with locals expected in 2010 or 2012.

[afleitch]

Less than three hours to go now. Weathers been good for most of the day (including the crucial few hours after five pm) so hopefully turnout won't be any worse than merely dreadful.

What is the usual turnout in UK locals?

Varies quite alot. Anything from about 30 - 40% with spots above and below that I'd say.