I'm amazed that so many MN'ers are so surprised at the result.
I feel I can understand why the country hasn't voted in such a way to ensure there is a change in course from the plan the Condems had us following.
I feel I understand why UKIP got so many votes. You only have to look at where their candidates polled plenty of votes and it's obvious. I live in one of those areas.
I don't understand why Labour didn't more publicly acknowledge their errors of judgement in immigration and the economy instead of repeatedly fudging the issues for so long or labelling people bigotted/racist for wanting to discuss the issues and blaming the world wide recession for the whole economic mess that the UK found itself in. They've never shown true remorse for any of their actions in contributing to the problems.
I don't understand why Ed M thought it a good idea to label up a stone tablet demonstrating how vague and uncosted their pledges were. I don't understand why he was ever chosen as party leader, when there were other credible alternatives. The party condemned itself to longer out of power with that single act.
Now that Ed B (the man with a cruel sense of humour about the nation's financial state) has lost his job, maybe he finally gets it about playing fast & loose with other people's money.
I've become financially worse off as a result of the coalition's actions over the country's finances and will have to work longer than planned before retiring but I do see the bigger picture. I don't want a government with a spend now, pay later mind set. Labour did some great socially responsible stuff whilst in power but were financially very short-sighted and put so many people's jobs and hence financial security at risk that it's staggering.