Once 10pm chimes on Election Night in many ways politics takes a back seat, for a few hours anyway, & I love it!
I watched the BBC offering of experts and pundits and former MP's etc etc. There was the obligatory mad professor, he was from the University of Strathclyde and deciphered the Ipsos-Mori Exit poll,( that was pretty accurate in the event) all gearing up for a long night and all looking bright eyed and bushy tailed. You do see them all coming unravelled at the seams slightly by the wee small hours which is always amusing. Headed by David Dimbleby the first thing that happens is which constituency will declare first. It's usually a race between constituencies in Newcastle and Sunderland, this time Newcastle Central were first in at just after 11pm. It was a hold for Labour, no surprises but the race & tear of getting in first was great! One down 249 to go!
It is of course slow to start but as the evening gets into its stride the inevitable political heavyweights are served up on a platter after defeats. Those cast into oblivion tonight have been Nick Clegg former Lib/Dem leader, Alex Salmond former Scottish Nationalist Leader & the Scots Nationalist second in command. The look on these poor sods faces is a picture. I know I sound like I'm down at the front knitting while Aristo's get their swedes chopped off ,not so,but tonight is a great leveler. The Home Secretary only just hung onto her seat after a recount. She won by 346 votes only!
One of the best most uplifting speeches after defeat was some years ago by Michael Portillo, then Defence Secretary I think.
He was humble and full of praise for all his opponents for battle well fought. Magnanimous in defeat I suppose, unlike his political ally David Mellor who's speech just moaned and belittled the other candidates. A git if ever there was one.
About 2am our constituency of South West Bedfordshire declared, a Tory hold, again no surprise, Andrew Sealous's vote was 32k (4.3% up on the 2015 election) was nearly double that of his nearest rival Labour with 18k (13.5% up on the 2015 election). The Libs, Greens & Christian Peoples Party ( The Judean Peoples Front!?) were also ran's.
I said I enjoy this night because it's not about politics, of course it is really but it is very much secondary to how the whole process of our voting system works and how the 68 million or so votes are delivered to each constituency. It also makes a nice change from all the political comments particularly those appearing on FaceBook. Now I love FB but I've come within a hairs breadth of knocking it on the head as I'm fed up with all the political comment. In my humble opinion FB is just not the place for politics, I'm not bothered what political colour people are I don't want their views, I want to here the good stuff they've done, places they've been and friends they've met up with & of course a rabbit with a pancake on its head! Talk politics on political forums.
The night carried on with sustenance from cheese & biscuits with a glass of Port & I was ready for the slog into the small hours of the morning. I wanted to wait up for Harrow East to be declared as that is the constituency that my parents lived in and Dad always stayed up to watch the night unfold as well. He would stay up until Harrow was announced ( it was three constituencies then, now its two) and at 3.39am the result came in,it was a hold for the Tory's but with a greatly reduced majority ( about 2k). The political landscape was becoming clear by now, it's going to be a hung parliament, the Tories scoring an own goal by calling the election as their majority has been reduced so now it's down to deals with the smaller parties. I decided to call it a night now, it was just getting light. It was a great night..........I could be doing this again in afew months if deals aren't forthcoming at Westminster!
I watched the BBC offering of experts and pundits and former MP's etc etc. There was the obligatory mad professor, he was from the University of Strathclyde and deciphered the Ipsos-Mori Exit poll,( that was pretty accurate in the event) all gearing up for a long night and all looking bright eyed and bushy tailed. You do see them all coming unravelled at the seams slightly by the wee small hours which is always amusing. Headed by David Dimbleby the first thing that happens is which constituency will declare first. It's usually a race between constituencies in Newcastle and Sunderland, this time Newcastle Central were first in at just after 11pm. It was a hold for Labour, no surprises but the race & tear of getting in first was great! One down 249 to go!
It is of course slow to start but as the evening gets into its stride the inevitable political heavyweights are served up on a platter after defeats. Those cast into oblivion tonight have been Nick Clegg former Lib/Dem leader, Alex Salmond former Scottish Nationalist Leader & the Scots Nationalist second in command. The look on these poor sods faces is a picture. I know I sound like I'm down at the front knitting while Aristo's get their swedes chopped off ,not so,but tonight is a great leveler. The Home Secretary only just hung onto her seat after a recount. She won by 346 votes only!
One of the best most uplifting speeches after defeat was some years ago by Michael Portillo, then Defence Secretary I think.
He was humble and full of praise for all his opponents for battle well fought. Magnanimous in defeat I suppose, unlike his political ally David Mellor who's speech just moaned and belittled the other candidates. A git if ever there was one.
About 2am our constituency of South West Bedfordshire declared, a Tory hold, again no surprise, Andrew Sealous's vote was 32k (4.3% up on the 2015 election) was nearly double that of his nearest rival Labour with 18k (13.5% up on the 2015 election). The Libs, Greens & Christian Peoples Party ( The Judean Peoples Front!?) were also ran's.
I said I enjoy this night because it's not about politics, of course it is really but it is very much secondary to how the whole process of our voting system works and how the 68 million or so votes are delivered to each constituency. It also makes a nice change from all the political comments particularly those appearing on FaceBook. Now I love FB but I've come within a hairs breadth of knocking it on the head as I'm fed up with all the political comment. In my humble opinion FB is just not the place for politics, I'm not bothered what political colour people are I don't want their views, I want to here the good stuff they've done, places they've been and friends they've met up with & of course a rabbit with a pancake on its head! Talk politics on political forums.
The night carried on with sustenance from cheese & biscuits with a glass of Port & I was ready for the slog into the small hours of the morning. I wanted to wait up for Harrow East to be declared as that is the constituency that my parents lived in and Dad always stayed up to watch the night unfold as well. He would stay up until Harrow was announced ( it was three constituencies then, now its two) and at 3.39am the result came in,it was a hold for the Tory's but with a greatly reduced majority ( about 2k). The political landscape was becoming clear by now, it's going to be a hung parliament, the Tories scoring an own goal by calling the election as their majority has been reduced so now it's down to deals with the smaller parties. I decided to call it a night now, it was just getting light. It was a great night..........I could be doing this again in afew months if deals aren't forthcoming at Westminster!
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| The BBC logo for the election. |
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