Westminstenders: The Undecideds

[RedToothBrush]

Apparently the pollsters are nervous.

There are far more undecided than there have been at this stage in recent general election.

This makes it a hugely fine line between a hung parliament and a massive tory majority.

The weather on Thursday isn't expected to be nice and this could affect turnout. The blue corner are particularly nervous about this, but don't forget those postal votes.

Whatever happens on Thursday at least this election campaign is nearly over. And that can't be a bad thing.

And Christmas is in a fortnight so we can all drown our sorrows or celebrate in style.

You always have time to restock the drinks if you end up resort to them on Thursday

(New election special thread on Thursday rather than bunging up Westminstenders BTW)

And for the 1st time in a long while I queued to vote.

Angry you do understand the changes that Johnson plans to make to the constitution.

The Tories are done as a party. People don't start voting Tory until much later in life now.

Best way to counter that- gradually erode our constitution.

Quiet at my polling station at 9am which is disappointing as it's right by the school and would have thought there'd be some school run traffic at that time.

We're in a marginal - currently Labour and yougov predicting a likely labour win.

colouringinpro Looking on another thread still about 30% of those replying are undecided.

Has someone posted this to help them decide?

comparethetacticals.com/

I suppose some will be in safe seats so it won’t matter which way they go.
I’m in a safe Tory seat but I’d like the majority to be much reduced to give the MP pause for thought.

Angryresister I personally can’t understand women - or anyone - spoiling their votes in an election like this one. The choices aren’t great but the stakes are very high.

Voted :-)

And I'm having a shit load of anti Labour adverts on Facebook!

Same here Peachie.

I've done it. And thanks for confirming it's ok OYBBK, I took in a net of Christmas chocs which I passed over after I'd voted.

Tory stronghold here. But I can hope for miracles.

Long memories here in the North East too ThatSeventiesLass. People here can't win, consistently fucked over by the tories as they knew they'd never get purchase here (until recently) and ignored by labour as they could depend on our vote. It may be a case of kicking people enough until they're compliant and believing whatever unlikely promises of dignity and self sufficiency they're offered. I just pray that stories of people turning Tory are overplayed as Thatcher gutted this region, and the effects are still very apparent, echoing down generations.

Voted. Although there wasn't a queue, it was fairly busy at 8:30am, the doors of the polling station barely had a chance to close with the constant comings-and-goings. Lots of young-looking and working-age-ish people, some with their kids on the way to school.

There was a big sign stuck to the doors: "Turnout is expected to be HIGH, so be prepared to queue."

DH went to the pub last night with some colleagues, got home utterly trolleyed and spent half the night hugging the toilet bowl. This morning he was looking rather pale and green as he set off for work. He hasn't done that for years. Fortunately, he had the good sense to have voted postally well in advance, so no chance of him being too hungover to get to the polling station.

metro.co.uk/2019/12/12/longest-queues-ever-people-stand-line-around-block-vote-11771760/

I'm back from the hospital run, in bed with the electric blanket on....

New research based on data from the European Union shows that the UK's poorest regions have fallen further behind the rest of Europe over the past decade.

The results show that the UK’s poorest regions are poorer than anywhere in France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden or Finland. The relative performance of the UK’s poorest regions has also worsened over time.

The High Pay Centre's analysis of the EU data found that the number of UK regions with GDP per capita below 75 per cent of the EU average increased from three in 2008 to seven in 2017 (the most recent figures).

The seven regions – Southern Scotland; West Wales and the Valleys; Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; Lincolnshire; Tees Valley and Durham; South Yorkshire; and Outer London – East and North East – are all poorer than anywhere else in North West Europe.

The number of regions below 90 per cent of the EU average has also risen from 18 to 23 since 2008. The EU uses the 75 per cent and 90 per cent thresholds for allocating funding to poorer regions, meaning that the UK could be eligible for increased funding if it remained in the EU.

www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/29148

France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden or Finland are all in the EU and like us have had to weather the global financial crisis since 2008.

So why has the UK done so badly compared to these countries and how could re-electing the same party that has been responsible for the mess we're in, and want to take us out of the EU, ever make things any better?

Long-time lurker and occasional poster. Just de-lurking to say thank you so much to you all for these threads. The debate and discussion has been so helpful to me. Feeling sick with dread today but trying to concentrate on work.

My polling station was dead but I'm in a very deprived ward in an ultra-safe Tory seat (have the Brexit Secretary as my MP...) so I think a hell of a lot of the neighbours won't bother to vote. Good to hear that it's more lively elsewhere!

"why has the UK done so badly compared to these countries?"

because an "I'm all right, Jack" race to the bare minimum is a terrible strategy for a country

Just got back from voting.

It's brass monkeys weather (4C, but feels much colder).

As of 10:15 91 people had voted out of "about 1200" on the ward roll. Teller said that was a bit slower than usual (wonder why ?) ...

Our local polling station said that it has been "steady"

Ds will be recorded as a "Did not vote" down here - but is voting (SNP ) up in Aberdeen North (Kirsty Blackman's constituency).

Fingers and toes crossed that high turnout means upsets.

When I voted I asked about how my kids would be counted ....
on the roll but had voted at their other location
clerks did not know

but surely some of the post election analysis takes into account that the roll includes lots of doubling up
(eg people with two houses who are entitled to vote twice in the Locals)
and thus true turnout is higher than the number of ticks on the sheets ....

I am a long time lurker and just wanted to pop on to say thanks for this thread. You guys are so knowledgeable and the discussions have been so helpful. Not voted yet, but will do tonight before the polls close. Hoping the high turnout is a sign of change. See you on the other side.

About one person a minute at my polling station - despite the filthy weather. A lot more proxy voters this time too.

Much busierxthen,peregrina?

I tried to get our teller to record that dd had voted but at her uni. He said he didn't know how to record it.

I don't know if it's much busier - my feeling is that it is, but it may be because people don't want to turn out later in the dark, whereas on a nice summer evening, that's not a problem.

You could have told the teller your DD's number and then it would go down as having voted and stop them phoning or offering lifts to the polling station. He or she doesn't need to know that the vote was elsewhere.

Here is the lovely video from the BBC this morning. Sorry it's BBC : I know we aren't fans atm but it's heartwarming and shows real community and kindness:

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/bbc-breakfast-viewers-tears-oldham-17405352

Got a text from DS (first year uni in a mega marginal) . The first one was panicking about a polling card .

The second one reads I have done my duty. I trained him well ! I am proud of him ; the weather is awful and he's an anxious soul but he has done his bit.