Elections continued

Well, waking up this morning, there still aren't any real results. The Lib Dems didn't manage their shiny brilliance - people lie to pundits, what a shocker. Disappointing for them though - and a particular shame that Dr Evan Harris didn't get back in. He was one of the few MPs to actually understand the Internet and why it matters.

Good news is that Dr Caroline Lucas *did* get elected. She was my MEP when I lived back in the UK, and it's great news that she's now an MP! No real surprise that it was Brighton that elected her, though!

ETA: Other good news: Nick Griffin was slammed in the constituency he was standing in, and the BNP did crap tonight. Also Philippa Stroud didn't win, although it was a very close vote looking at the results. Clearly the people in her constituency are deeply depraved. (Hi Jon!)


Those people whingeing about not being allowed to vote after 10pm, I have very little sympathy. They should have started queuing earlier - you can't claim to be massively dedicated to voting, generally speaking, if you don't turn up until just before the cut-off point. Polls opened at 7am, after all.

It looks to me like all the people talking on the telly about this have sort of missed the point - they think it's difficult to tell what people want; I think people have been really clear - they hate all the main parties. They don't want the kind of polarised politics that we've had for the last many years, they want people to have to actually negotiate and work things out, rather than push through rushed legislation on a 3-line whip. And I think that's an excellent idea - wonder if any of the parties will take the hint.

I suspect, though, we're going to end up with David Cameron as PM with a very small majority, and politics will go on the same as ever. Shame, really - this election had so much promise.

Read more...