Westministenders: The Election Car Crash

[RedToothBrush]

I was thinking about how I could sum up the general election campaign and well. This said it all.

Peregrina I am certainly full of rage today. Can't help thinking about the day after the referendum.

We'll go to the polling station after work with DS.

James Comey testimony is on from 3pm today if I am not mistaken, so something to look forward to.

Being contrary, I'm hoping for a small Tory majority ..... of exactly 12 !

Seriously, the Tories need to be made to clear up their own mess over Brexit.
If Labour have to deal with Brexit, they would be held fully responsible and be destroyed forever

In contrast, the teflon Tories will manage to pass off blame and survive - but a competent opposition should thrash them at the next GE.

Like post-nuclear war scenario, the Tory Party have become the cockroaches of politics.

No matter how hideous the world becomes or what detritus they wade through and the party survives.

I'm inclined to agree with that @bigchoc. The Tories should be the ones to own the great Brexit shit show and been showed for the weasels they are.

On the other hand I dream of a progressive alliance. My ds starts primary school in September and I'm very worried about the environment he's going into. I think as a nation we need a change. Cameron's big society is anything but, and there's a meanness about people that I'm certain is due to years of austerity.

My mum face timed me yesterday asking which way she should vote. She still can't believe the labour manifesto would do anything but bankrupt us, and still doesn't buy that we have an inefficient economy that's fallen to the wayside because of austerity. It's maddening. This morning I sent her a text of my four year old and said "do it for him". Fingers crossed.

We've voted. Delivered long lecture to the DC on the way there, about democracy and how lucky we are to have it and for God's sake vote when you're grown up.

It was fairly busy in our polling station at 8am, with a short queue despite miserable weather. I'd imagine it would be all the on-the-way-to-work crowd.

I saw 4 young people (early 20s)coming out of a polling station around 7:30 this morning (SE London). Even though tories don't stand a chance anyway around here, I'm hoping it's a good indicator of engaged young voters around the country

I saw a young man clutching his ballot card on the way to vote this morning. He looked a bit nervous, it is clearly his first election. I had to resist the urge to give him a cheer and a round of applause.

There are days when I bitterly regret not following my dream to go into journalism. These days are usually the same days I realise I probably would not have lasted 5 minutes in the industry so full of out right lies and deliberate misinformation. The reason I didn't go into it, is because of stuff like the crusade against Human Rights and the vilification of the EU. (Also other stuff like the hugely poor reporting of health and science reports).

I despair of it I really do, especially when I see it regurgitated back at me by thinking people who have forgotten to think. Like that bloody Human Rights thread.

Our press and its relationship with politicians is a total cancer in our society.

Regardless of who wins today that's not going away anytime soon. In that respect the result is irrelevant.

I remember going to vote at 7am in 1997 on my way to work. The sun was shining and I just remember this amazing sense of hope that we were finally going to get rid of the bastards. It just feels like everything has come full circle.
Lurking I voted for the first time in 1987 as well and remember the utter despondency of 1992. I am so grateful for these threads- they are a little oasis in a desert of misery.
I see the Brexit Arms are getting the champagne ready for Kim Jong May's victory.

More on the Tory Facebook advertising campaign. Apologies if it has already been posted. I may be losing track a bit

The Tories Are Exploiting A New Loophole To Launch A Last-Minute Facebook Ad Blitz
The Conservatives have found a way to push localised anti-Corbyn Facebook adverts into key constituencies without having to worry about breaking local spending limits.
www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/the-tories-are-exploiting-a-new-loophole-to-launch-a-last?utm_term=.qoyOOLgvz4#.uwDzzgd4B5

EXCELLENT NEWS!

Following on from yesterdays Dogs on the Subway we have a new topical piece brought to you from the delights of twitter.

It is called 'dogs at polling stations'.

For all your fluffy and cute needs today.

Dave Briggs ‏*@xtaldave*

Meet Ozzy. He is a Romanian immigrant. He loves the smell of democracy in the morning. His favourite food is post.

I shall post more through the day to keep you all going.

Today's headlines

Voted. Went in about 8:15. There was an older lady coming out and an older man going in when we finished. A fair few had been done earlier though. Not odd for round this way though, there's only about 3-4K votes get cast in this ward in total and a lot of polling stations. There's usually a rush after work. So no clues here as to turn out!

Local MP was banging on doors late last night, lost a fair few votes in the process. Sadly not enough to make a difference!

"There are days when I bitterly regret not following my dream to go into journalism. These days are usually the same days I realise I probably would not have lasted 5 minutes in the industry so full of out right lies and deliberate misinformation."

Red we need people like you in journalism.

BigChoc I'm also hoping for a tiny Tory majority, forcing them to compromise on their policies and to own Brexit. I would prefer a Labour/LD/Green coalition with a decent majority, but that is very unlikely.

We are on holidays so did a postal vote. and then had second thoughts after
Friends have reported the polling stations to be busy but presumably will have been people voting on their way to work.

Trying to look on the bright side - after the car crash of brexit no one will vote tory in 2022, surely.

Have youngsters always favoured labour? What happens, do they grow up and become tory?

@twlldun
Remember, under new rules brought out by the Coalition in 2013, this is only the first 2017 election, and first to five wins.

I laughed at this, then cried that this may even be a possibility

I don't know what result I 'want'. Most of all I want to see long-term investment in the core infrastructure (transport, industry, healthcare, education) and there's only one party promising to do that. However, Brexit is going to be a shitstorm whatever happens. Whilst I'd much rather see Starmer, Thornberry and Gardiner (the latter two of which have gone up in my estimation over the campaign) at the table instead of Davis, BoJo and Fox, whoever goes is going to come back with a shit deal. That shit deal needs to be stuck to the Tories. My worry is that there will be nothing left of the country at the end of it (NHS, education system and indeed the union itself). Not just because of Brexit but because the Tories have one single purpose in life, which is to privatise everything that moves. Market forces sometimes deliver the optimum outcome, sometimes they don't. The skill of being in government is knowing when to keep things in house. The Tories have no skill at all in this regard.

Still can't decide whether to stay up tonight. Guess I'll wait for the exit poll. Will there be a Westministenderers' Election Night Party? I'll have some cake, and eat it.

Election cake for the party

@nickcohen4
I know countries are meant to get the politicians they deserve, but what the hell have we done to deserve this.

Final Seat Projections:
YouGov
302 CON, 269 LAB, 44 SNP, 12 LD, 2 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 19 Other.
Con maj -49
S Fisher / R Shorrocks
348 CON, 223 LAB, 47 SNP, 9 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +48
Michael Thrasher
348 CON, 215 LAB, 54 SNP, 9 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +48
Britain Elects
356 CON, 219 LAB, 43 SNP, 9 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +62
Lord Ashcroft
357 CON, 222 LAB, 45 SNP,4 LD, 1 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 0 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +64
Election Calculus
360 CON, 216 LAB, 48 SNP, 3 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +72
Chris Hanretty
366 CON, 207 LAB, 46 SNP, 7 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +82
Nigel Marriott
374 CON, 207 LAB, 43 SNP, 2 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +100
Iain Dale
386 CON, 202 LAB, 48 SNP, 12 LD, 4 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 2 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +122
Election Data
386 CON, 186 LAB, 51 SNP, 4 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +124

Mean forecast
360 CON, 213 LAB, 47 SNP, 7 LD, 3 Plaid, 0 UKIP, 1 Green, 1 Speaker, 18 Other.
Con maj +70

Courtesy of Simon Hix @Simonjhix

Weirdly my minimum forecast is almost identical in numbers to the mean forecast. (My Min Tory seats is 357 and I have the SNP on 46 and the LDs on about 7 or 8)

Those polls aren't as bad as I was dreading (the yougov one is just seeming mad though). I would obviously prefer less but i would survive with 70. It could have been worse.

www.buzzfeed.com/hilarywardle/theresa-may-or-basshunter?utm_term=.xn167X4A9#.tlxlDdjr1
21 Tweets About The Election That Will Make You Smile In Spite Of Everything

I've just listened to pause for thought on radio 2 and had little cry in the kitchen.
Does anyone remember 2012? The Olympics? The sense of national pride and inclusiveness?
Wtf happened to my country??