leyton.org

I’m going to be up to the small hours as the election results come in. I’ll be updating some key thoughts along the way, and – perhaps in a first serious use of the service, I’ll also be twittering reasonably extensively on the subject too.

• 04:00am – Right. That’s me. Counts are taking an age in too many places, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, there are high numbers of rejected ballots, and the regional votes are an unknown quantity. Figure I’m as well to get some sleep to be lucid enough to listen to the news tomorrow morning.
• 03:49am – Just as I’m about to give up, in comes the Glasgow Govan vote and Nicola Sturgeon has won with a marjority of 744. Well, I got the main result I was after, so pleased there. Only the first time in a constituency vote that that has happened. I’m normally voting for the party that comes 2nd….
• 01:09am – Kelvin held by Labour, but another massive number of spoilt papers. 1,100 or so, up from only 100. Brian Taylor is bang on to be emphasising this as a critical issue that needs as much investigation as much as any postal ballot. Close number of spoilt papers to the majority in Kelvin, even.
• 00:50am – Wishaw result has a huge number (Somewhere around 1,000) of spoiled ballots (not shown on BBC site though), perhaps confusion from the two different systems. But worrying none the less.
• 00:31am – Wishaw result in and it’s a Labour hold for (hopefully) the former First Minister Jack McConnell. Quite safely, but a worrying four figure vote for the nut-jobs in the Scottish Christian Party. I’d rather have McConnell than a feverish xtian preaching their perverse and selective selection of religious fiction.
• 00:10am – The Guardian has an excellent criticism of press mauling dealt out to the SNP that’s well worth a read.
• 11:50pm – Talk of a result due from Motherwell and Wishaw due soon. Sheridan in the BBC1 studio with the biggest rosette I’ve seen all campaign. Seems quite cheerful.
• 11:42pm – BBC1 talking of upwards of 60% turnout today. Great weather and a tight campaign. Re-run of Jeremy Vine’s overview of Scottish system mentioning my constituency again. Looking good. Counting machines seem to be giving a running score to monitors, so hopefully some read-between-the-line hints about key constituencies.
• 11:15pm – Douglas Alexander (Scottish Secretary) sticking to the negative message put out by Labour throughout this campaign.
• 11:12pm – Alex Salmond on BBC1 Scotland quite right to be saying the SNP ran the best campaign. They hit the ground running, and had the most positive national campaign.
• 11:09pm – BBC1 talking of my constituency MSP seat Govan going to the SNP – Which is the result I’m hoping for to unseat the Labour MSP.
• 11pm – Douglas Alexander spinning Labour painful to behold on BBC2, and Ian Paisley follows. And some horrific 1970’s Scottish oddness on BBC1 ahead of the Scottish coverage. Sky News talking about SNP targets…

FWIW, here’s a snapshot of my my twitter blogging on the subject.

• Just discovered my Tory voting neighbour voted tactically to get Sturgeon in. Seems I changed his mind… Scary. 17:50 PM May 05, 2007
• McConnell calling it a “turnaround”… Good grief what planet is he on? 17:50 PM May 05, 2007
• Arrangements for election “Unsatisfactory” according to McDonnell. Yes. A bit. 17:50 PM May 05, 2007
• SNP 47 and Labour 46, so Liberals AND one or more of the Other parties will be reqd for an overall coalition majority? 17:50 PM May 05, 2007
• @doctorvee – Ah yes, it’s scrolling across the bottom about 22 hours ago in reply to doctorvee
• @doctorvee – BBC is still showing 1 ore region to declare? about 22 hours ago in reply to doctorvee
• Blair’s talking about a “good springboard for next election”. Erm. Rrrrright. Maybe not a mauling, but hardly an endorsement! 17:45 PM May 05, 2007
• Looks like all the constituencies have been declared, and SNP and Labour are neck and neck. Looks certain SNP will be the largest party the. 17:40 PM May 05, 2007
• Salmond is sounding confident of being 1st Minister about 17:00 PM May 05, 2007
• @db82407 – You off to SF? 02:20 PM May 04, 2007 in reply to db82407
• Going shopping for BBQ bits for our first BBQ of the year. Wooo. 01:13 PM May 04, 2007
• @db82407 – Ooops! 10:02 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to db82407
• Right, that’s me. Off to bed to be lucid for Jim Naughitie tomorrow morning 04:13 AM May 04, 2007
• Pollok +10% rise to Labour due to SSP not contesting 04:06 AM May 04, 2007
• Oooh. My new MSP 04:03 AM May 04, 2007
• He needs to wave his hands about a bit more and waggle his eyebrows 03:59 AM May 04, 2007
• I miss Peter Snow. Vine just doesn’t have his infectious enthusiasm 03:58 AM May 04, 2007
• National share of vote for Labour seems very low. 1% ahead of libdem 03:57 AM May 04, 2007
• 1st SNP win in Glasgow – It’s scary how hard the Labour vote is here 03:49 AM May 04, 2007
• Not a big majority for her though 03:48 AM May 04, 2007
• Well, only the first time a constituency vote by me has got in 15 years of elections 03:46 AM May 04, 2007
• Labour 8266; Cons 1680; Communist 251; Ind 423; SNP 9010; LD 1981? 03:46 AM May 04, 2007
• Govan up. Sturgeon looking bouyant 03:44 AM May 04, 2007
• There must be problems in Glasgow – not been any results in ages (And Govan was rumoured as due hours back) 03:42 AM May 04, 2007
• @@inquisitor – Huge turnout 03:40 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to @inquisitor
• Big swing to SNP 03:25 AM May 04, 2007
• http://tinyurl.com/yttpjl 03:25 AM May 04, 2007
• Sterling SNP? Are the SNP catching up now? 03:24 AM May 04, 2007
• Did the Independent candidates in the Gordon seat go home early? 03:07 AM May 04, 2007
• At last the Gordon result. Shame no sign of Govan yet 03:05 AM May 04, 2007
• Charges about ‘practices in the polling stations’? Not more revelations? 03:01 AM May 04, 2007
• 12 seats declared that is 02:54 AM May 04, 2007
• Only 12 votes. It’s thin pickings 02:54 AM May 04, 2007
• @doctorvee – Very solid Labour vote that they managed to mobilise I suppose. 02:53 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Interesting breakout of rejected ballots there 02:39 AM May 04, 2007
• Ah well. Labour hold. I’m fascinated by body language, but crap at reading it! 02:39 AM May 04, 2007
• Dumfries – SNP candidate looking chirpy 02:38 AM May 04, 2007
• @doctorvee – List vote rumours sound positive for SNP though. Constituency is only part of it 02:36 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Cumbernauld close, with a better turnout and fewer rejected ballots. 02:34 AM May 04, 2007
• Labour going guns at the SNP supporters? BBC was reporting it was Solidarity? 02:32 AM May 04, 2007
• xtian leader blokey gets a derisory 500 or so votes 02:30 AM May 04, 2007
• Clamping down on the hecklers ahead of time this time around 02:30 AM May 04, 2007
• Govan result pending and SNP really sounding like unseating Labour 02:20 AM May 04, 2007
• Turnout seems much closer to 50% than the 60% some earlier reports were giving 02:08 AM May 04, 2007
• BBC publishing hold result before returning officer has started speaking!? 02:07 AM May 04, 2007
• Big drop in Labour vote in Airdrie 01:55 AM May 04, 2007
• Anniesland Labour victor is giving as good as he’s getting with the hecklers 01:44 AM May 04, 2007
• Big swing to SNP – Imagine this will make a big difference in the tighter constituencies 01:44 AM May 04, 2007
• 1736 spoilt in Anniesland? 01:43 AM May 04, 2007
• @doctorvee – I know what you mean. Visual layout of the forms not the best. Text smaller than I’d expected, with much more on them. 01:34 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Layout of ballot paper being questioned by blokey there? 01:31 AM May 04, 2007
• Rumours that SNP to win Govan: http://tinyurl.com/23p3xr 01:27 AM May 04, 2007
• Oh good grief. Jeremy Vine is dancing 01:20 AM May 04, 2007
• Worried this could become the big story 01:13 AM May 04, 2007
• Spoilt ballot count is what? 01:12 AM May 04, 2007
• SNP Gain in Dundee West 01:12 AM May 04, 2007
• Charles Kennedy doing that great political line: “Too early to speculate… BUT”. 01:12 AM May 04, 2007
• Brian Taylor is on form with some stunningly well argued points 01:11 AM May 04, 2007
• Lib Dem vote down in Kelvin too. Being squeezed? 01:08 AM May 04, 2007
• List vote point, and lack of socialists in constituency vote very valid 01:07 AM May 04, 2007
• McNeill seems a bit excited 01:06 AM May 04, 2007
• @doctorvee – yay! Much merriment here on that one 01:05 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Low turnout (44%?) at Glasgow Kelvin 01:02 AM May 04, 2007
• Scotsman Libeblog: http://tinyurl.com/23xxz5 01:02 AM May 04, 2007
• Go to bed Jack 12:58 AM May 04, 2007
• @doctorvee – Where’s this story about Salmond not getting elected appearing? Presumed he was also on a safe regional vote too (Like Sturgeon 12:52 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• @upyourego – Come in to Bremner on the words “Political Condom”. Marvellous. Love the man. 12:45 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to upyourego
• @upyourego – Ironic that local elections are often going to affect people more directly (day to day) than national ones 12:45 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to upyourego
• @upyourego – 20% is seriously poor. But wonder about the seat makeup? Safe seats are horrible places if no chance of making a change 12:44 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to upyourego
• High number of spoilt ballots too there 12:42 AM May 04, 2007
• xtian share of vote point well made. Worrying development. Deftly ignored by blokey there. 12:40 AM May 04, 2007
• Some rescuing of ballot box and crew from Arran vote in the Clyde? 12:39 AM May 04, 2007
• 6.9% swing to SNP – Means my constituency must be a surity for SNP to take 12:39 AM May 04, 2007
• 48.5% turnout – not as high as hoped? 12:37 AM May 04, 2007
• McConnell thinks he “Won the Debate”? Hmmm. Ominous words? 12:35 AM May 04, 2007
• Ouch that’s a lot of flash photography at Wishaw 12:32 AM May 04, 2007
• Big independent vote in Wishaw 12:31 AM May 04, 2007
• http://tinyurl.com/2amkzk 12:30 AM May 04, 2007
• Lib Dem blokey seemed a bit too pleased with a poor joke there 12:26 AM May 04, 2007
• @upyourego – Yup, especially for Independents, but nothing of note other than what I found out and put up on my website. Missed op. imnsho 12:21 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to upyourego
• @doctorvee – Saw a policeman outside Pollokshields polling station. First time a bobby’s been near a ballot in my experience 12:19 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• @upyourego – It’s more the (lack of) availability of information during the campaign for council election 12:18 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to upyourego
• There’s lots of standing around in Paisley 12:14 AM May 04, 2007
• @upyourego – Internet has decidedly not been embraced by the parties in this election in my view 12:14 AM May 04, 2007 in reply to upyourego
• Guardian has a great piece here on Press attacks on SNP – http://tinyurl.com/2ukg8g 12:12 AM May 04, 2007
• Great point by blokey there about Labour’s atrociously negative campaign. 12:07 AM May 04, 2007
• I can minimise politicians at whim! 12:06 AM May 04, 2007
• Aha. CSI has finished recording. I get picture in picture joy now 12:06 AM May 04, 2007
• Biggest Rosette I’ve seen so far 11:49 PM May 03, 2007
• Oh grief. Sheridan’s on 11:48 PM May 03, 2007
• Brian Taylor entirely correct about “scandalous” and “disgraceful” postal ballot delays 11:48 PM May 03, 2007
• 5 minutes to Motherwell and Wishaw result? 11:46 PM May 03, 2007
• Hope the BBC1 girl on now remembers to breath 11:39 PM May 03, 2007
• 15 minutes to first result in Wishaw 11:38 PM May 03, 2007
• I’ll have a latte, a muffin, and a 5 seat overall majority thanks 11:37 PM May 03, 2007
• The voting machines almost look like coffee machines, and the staff like barristas. 11:37 PM May 03, 2007
• @doctorvee – Beeeeeeeer 11:33 PM May 03, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Didn’t like the new ballot boxes at all 11:32 PM May 03, 2007
• Counting seems to be rather manual judging by the BBC1 shot just there 11:31 PM May 03, 2007
• New blog post: Scottish Elections: Live Blog http://tinyurl.com/2btynq 11:28 PM May 03, 2007 from web
• Good grief I hate cheesy vignettes 11:22 PM May 03, 2007
• @doctorvee – Very true 11:19 PM May 03, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Salmond is correct in saying the SNP ran the best campaign 11:12 PM May 03, 2007
• BBC talking of my seat of Govan being a likely SNP win, so some hope of getting the result I want 11:09 PM May 03, 2007
• BBC talking of my seat of Govan being a likely SNP win 11:08 PM May 03, 2007
• Grrr. Better half has set DVR to record CSI so no dual screen election coverage! 11:07 PM May 03, 2007
• @doctorvee I’ll probably be live blogging tonight too 10:49 PM May 03, 2007 in reply to doctorvee
• Watching House ahead of election fever kicking off 10:46 PM May 03, 2007
• @doctorvee – Probably because they’re to be counted automagically this year? Folding might interfere with the mechanics? 11:08 AM May 01, 2007 from web in reply to doctorvee

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 at 11:06 pm and is filed under Glasgow, Politics, Scotland, Scottish elections, UK. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.