** Official MN Election Night Thread - let's hold hands and wait together **

[MmeLindt]

Just starting this so that we can all post our thoughts throughout the day.

My wish for today is that as many people as possible GO OUT AND VOTE.

I cannot vote as I have been living abroad for over 15 years so if anyone wants to vote for me, I would like to vote for Gordon Brown. Voting by MN proxy

Tocca I have espresso machine working overtime to keep me up, will send you some virtual espresso

Piers was funny looking because the lights from the London eye kept changing and reflecting on his face.

no his eyes were very odd - not his face the whites of his eyes were not "normal"

Queues at opinion polls? Hurrah for democracy (desperately clutching at straws to make me feel less bad about the terrible prospect of a Tory government and the extreme likelihood of me getting my P45 in the next 6 months...)

It does look like people chickened out of voting Lib Dem in the end. If so it's a crying shame. I reckon it's the immigration policy that did it - the public aren't adult enough to swallow that one.

Toccata, you're usually up late. Don't leave us this early you party pooper! Riesling anyone?

Can I have a cuppa, please?

I think that the Lib Dems were never seriously going to come second - it just wasn't going to happen.

gingerblonde I'm another one looking down the barrel of a p45 under a tory governemnt

there's an update on the BBC webpage saing

2243 Labour sources admit they expect Phil Woolas to lose Oldham East and Saddleworth to the Liberal DemocratsSaddleworthnews tweets

so maybe all is not totally lost for Lib Dem to have gained some ground??

I know I'm usually up late, but I was in a right state last night and didn't manage to sleep until 3.30am......

Mind you - if I fell asleep now I'd probably be up in time for all the fun between 2 and 3am anyhow........

come on sunderland!

Espressos for all who need one

On what basis? Being public sector? So am I - I'm not expecting a P45 anytime soon. Unless of course the unions all come out and strike against a common sense pay freeze.

I think volume of votes is going to slow things down rather.

Looks that way GS. Its a real shame. I think the other 2 did a really good job on a lot of people too, in making them believe it was a "2 horse race" and that there was no pojnt voting Lib Dem. I had at least 2 leaflets telling me that.

3 hours queue reported in sunderland. Amazing for democracy, but what a shame!

I voted at 7 pm, and I had to queue for 30 minutes. I was staggered because I have never queued before when voting at this polling station. In fact, I would not have brought dd2 with me, (because she played up and said she was bored) had I known there would be a queue. I think that it is terrible if people were in the queue before 10 pm but not allowed to vote.

Oh, go on then Cartoose. M&S mini cake?

I can't believe people didn't turn up in time...

First seat about to declare!

hear we go,

oooo here they go

Ooh he looks like a council bod doesn't he?

ouch 4 figures for BNP

1961 voted BNP

she's 26??!

And it's Labour.