to ask if I'm alone in sensing that the election results will confound the pollsters??

[grovel]

It's just a gut feeling that the nation(s) won't vote as predicted.

I'm afraid that it's not like that LateNightFury. If Cameron and Crosby et all lose out to a Labour/SNP pact they then neatly avoid the coming debacle over Europe and would probably get in again in a relatively short while with enough excuses at their back to fuel an artic. It wouldn't be fun for them but neither do I think they'd be crying in their beer.

I appreciate there is always the 'shy voter' factor to take into account. but I think the SNP will do well for several reasons.

• The Nicola Sturgeon effect. Regardless of your views on her politics, you can't deny she is a popular politican. People seem to actually like her. That's very, very rare in politics (and yes, I know she is an MSP, not an MP so won't be at Westminster but she is very much the 'face' of the SNP).

• The SNP have always had significant support in Scotland - in the referendum, a lot of no voters were also SNP voters. People like that they are (broadly) left of centre.

• Labour just don't have the popular support up in Scotland that they used to and that leaves a vacuum for a left of centre party

• There are a distinct lack of Labour 'heavyweights' up here now, especially since Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling are standing down.

• Last but definitely not least (IMO anyway) - Alex Salmond has been keeping his gob shut!

• Last but definitely not least (IMO anyway) - Alex Salmond has been keeping his gob shut!

Haha, I've just snorted with laughter at that classy one, I am!

The party are happy that Nicola Sturgeon should take centre stage on this one. (And for those that aren't too sure about being governed by a woman and there are still a good few there is always the thought that Salmond is in the background as a guiding influence.)

Fucking hell, BBC Exit poll has Conservatives at 316, Labour at 239, SNP at 58, Lib Dem at 10 and UKIP at 2!

Bunnyjo I can't really take the credit for that, squoosh pointed it out earlier

According to exit polls there will be a hung parliament with the Conservatives in the lead. Game over then. :(

Solomon and Harry I live in Rural North Yorkshire (2 miles away from Co. Durham) so north. This is one of the safest conservative seat in the country. In 2010 it had the 3rd largest win of any party in the UK and the largest win for the conservatives (23,336 more votes than 2nd place labour). Most people have blue posters (apart from one very large UKIP poster)

Although we did have William Hague since 1989 and now he's stepped down I suspect it will be less of a majority, but still a large majority.

Exit polls currently on bbc 1 quite extraordinary prediction figures coming out: conservatives gain 316 seats labour 239 SNP takes 58 seats UKIP 2 LD 10

Yeah, I just saw that. Another five years then.

I reckon UKIP will get zero seats. Even my xenophobic sister bottled out of voting for them.

The exit poll is worrying.

The politician models used by BBC are eerie

That's it then! Labour party have been obliterated. Another 5 years of the tories.

Skipton & Ripon is my parents constituency - the Tory candidate got over 50% of the votes in 2010.

Not suprised. It's early days but think people just feel they need stability. Be that right or wrong.

What did for labour( if it's right) is the popularity of Nicola sturgeon. And personally I think she's great but shame she's a scot. we could do with her in England.

Nick Clegg will have to resign.

Looks like we're all fucked then. Bollocks.

Labour must be really kicking themselves allowing Scottish devolution

And maybe Ed?

I feel sick

Tell you this if Nicola had been heading the snp at the election Scotland would be already gone.

Class act that woman.

And choosing EM over DM

Looks like the I'm alright jack and we don't give a fuck about anyone else brigade will be in again. Clegg a goner and please god hopefully the useless and unelectable ed milliband a goner. If they had elected his brother, this would have had a different result.

Who do they poll on these exit polls? Nobody asked me.