so, did anybody actually VOTE LibDem then?

[nearlytoolate]

Or was it just a brief flirtation before going 'back to base' as it were?

Sorry if this has been discussed ad nauseam on the other threads, haven't checked in on those yet, but I have to say I'm gutted that there wasn't more of a breakthrough for LibDems.
Myself, I'm in a Lab safe seat, LibDems in second place. I contemplated voting LibDem as really wanted electoral reform and GB out, but didn't in the end because:

1. Couldn't trust them not to do a deal with Tories
2. Nick Clegg was even going soft on electoral reform last week - the one abiding reason to vote for them
3. Not convinced they are strongly anti-poverty

Why did the rest of you not vote for them then?

I did, DH did and my folks did. Safe yellow seat here in the blue heartland - our MP truly acts locally and came out of the expenses scandal very well. Normally I'm Labour but will do anything to keep Tories out

Entirely agree with sophable and nickelclegg.

It's ridiculous that a party can get 23% of the popular vote and only take approx 50 seats in Parliament while another party can get 29% of the popular vote and get approx 250 seats.

How can it be fair that an extra 6% of votes gives you five times as much say where it matters?

Bring on proportional representation! Let our votes actually count for something!

but so far, with 622 of 650 seats counted, the turnout was only 65%.

what hope is there if one third of people don't even vote?

We have Lib Dem who held his seat. Perhaps literally.

Norwich South gained Lib Dem and Labour lost. All but 2 of the rest are Tory - Labour losses.

Roughly, Lab is urban, Tory and Lib Dem is rural. No party has worked out policies that appeal to both. I have moved from London to East Anglia. My (previously Lab voter - but not again) perspective has changed.

It's shocking.

It rewards parties with historical ties /family generational loyalty and really prevents a new party breaking through.

It also means that, tactically, you should pick a section of the electorate and pander to them (IHT, anyone?), not try and formulate policies that are best for the country overall. Not saying that the Lib Dems are great, but I think that the system is fundamentally flawed.

WEll, I wanted to but they massively cocked up in our area (internal dispute so three Lib Dem local councillors stood as Indpendent, thus splitting the vote ). None of the billions of leaflets they put through the door addressed the issue so I felt I had to vote Labour. Shame.

I agree re the reform of the system. (Although except for the very rich I think Inheritance tax is an unethical tax.)

perhaps if people thought that their vote would count for something they may be more inclined to turn out?

Interestingly Warick had an 84% turn out (that's pretty no matter where in the world you are unless it's a compulsory voting country) Con took from Lab.

But Lib Dem got 18.2% of the vote

I did, as did 35.8% of local voters (Labour still held it, though)
Interesting to see swings in all directions, to/from Labour/Tories/LibDems in different seats.

Suggests loads of people are voting tactically on a 'keep the xxxx' out basis.

News is suggesting a Lab/LD and possible SNP coalition with parliamentary reform a prerequisite, which is what I'd love to see.

i did, they came in second here with double what labour got. tory still won though

I agree with you SallyJay that the rural/urban split now is really bad news, and something that is entirely Labour - the Tories would never have allowed that to happen.

Yes.

Bit gutted actually.

All of my friends seem to have done. My facebook feed is filled with complete anti-Tory, and I'm being told that I was "wrong" and should be "ashamed" of voting Blue.

Ha.

Yes- He got in here.
But next door constituency, she didn't.
It went to handsome Zac.

Yes I did, so did my brother, m dad, my cousins and their famillies. Made no bloody difference here though. Labour first (very safe seat), Lib Dems 2nd same as last time.

yes me and dh did for the first time huge Labour landslide as usual. I was voting more hoping to get shot of our local mp rather than Gordon Brown

Tacticalfloosy - I think you're right. As far as rural/urban goes the Tories were more balanced. And at least trad Labour made sense to the industrial rural population. New Labour feels like the party of Islington with little understanding of old Lab or rural liberals.

Lets face it SJG, no party really reflects the interests of either the rural OR urban poor (hence the rise of the BNP if truth be told). But the Labour party has a big tribal tradition that turns out whatever (well, sort of - 55% or so in my region) in the traditional industrial working class areas.

Yes, dh and I both did but in a safe Tory seat.

But dh is pleased that Charles Clarke was pipped by a Lib Dem a couple of miles down the road.

But tbh the fact that they couldn't even hold onto some of their existing seats does suggest that they didn't win over many (any?) new voters. The swing voters went pretty much straight from Lab to Con in most places.

I agree - and about the rise of the BNP. Going to a meeting but am fascinated by the situation anyway. The most interesting post-election day if not the most jubilant.

I am genuinely gutted about Harris and Susan Kramer. Really disappointed.

Nope

But I wasn't going to anyway

Yes, tactical vote. And it worked here.Increased their majority and kept a certain blue party out.

I did, as did DH and my sister. Labour won here, as always, with Lib Dem 2nd.