*ELECTION NIGHT SPECIAL*

20:35 / 05.05.05

I took tomorrow off to have the chance to sit up all night, hoping to see TB lose that smirk. And then I went to the pub earlier, so stamina may be lacking. If it gets exciting, I might still manage to be up for Letwin. Ganesh is already snoring on the couch though. Tch.

Exit polls says Lib Dems doing well in marginals (Tories too, hmmm... ) but Labour vote might be crumbling where it counts.

Tryphena Absent

20:38 / 05.05.05

SWINGOMETER!

Why is Natasha Kaplinski on my screen? More Dimbleby. Come on Sunderland South, get those numbers in!

Bed Head

20:39 / 05.05.05

*uncorks wine*

Any exit poll-type news on David Davies? I thought the Lib Dems had hopes of toppling him. That might make a few more ripples that Letwin.

I've got Jim Naughtie with me tonight, of course.

Bear

20:40 / 05.05.05

I just got wine before the shops stopped selling, I imagine I'll be up for quite awhile yet.

I want more graphics!

Tryphena Absent

20:40 / 05.05.05

If anyone wants to bring some milk round they can watch the election coverage in Kentish Town with me.

20:45 / 05.05.05

Sunderland South at 22.41:
Chris Mullin 17,982

Poor show and shows the prognostications about the marginals may be conservative.

20:48 / 05.05.05

Swing! Yeah! One down, 645 to go. I have work tomorrow, so doubt I'll last the night, but have BBC website things happening, and Snow on the tele (Well, Dimbleby at the moment).

Bear

20:48 / 05.05.05

Time to open the wine, did anyone get exit polled?

20:50 / 05.05.05

I only gave my ref number to deter the evening door knocking. I've been left well alone during this election. What's with Snow's shirt?

Bear

20:51 / 05.05.05

It's not his real shirt, it changes colour at various points during the night.

20:51 / 05.05.05

Nah, a guy who looked like a cheerful derelict staggered over to us, then I saw his Lib Dem ribbon flapping. He only asked for our voter number though, not who we voted for, so don't know what use that would be to him.

Interesting that the Lib Dems were the only people giving a fuck in my neck of the woods where they weigh the Labour vote toi save counting.

Withiel: DALI'S ROTTWEILER

20:52 / 05.05.05

ha ha. Like global hyper colour, but with politics.

Tryphena Absent

20:56 / 05.05.05

Is anyone else loving the graphics even more then usual? Figures on the BBC centre and the sound effect on the SWINGOMETER! Gorgeous.

20:57 / 05.05.05

did anyone get exit polled?

On the way out, yes. And what's the significance of people with party rosettes asking for numbers?

21:00 / 05.05.05

So they know who not to bother later in the day I always thought. There was a tory lady and the Respect main man taking numbers. Lady says 'may I have your number?' respect man adds loudly '...please' as if telling her off. Was quite funny.

Bear

21:01 / 05.05.05

Alex Salmond was speaking to my folks on Monday my sister was just telling me - Moray is bigger this year so they all want it.

21:03 / 05.05.05

I think it's so they can try and give their candidate some idea of whether to expect to win or loose.

Dimbleby is rubbing his electoral nipples with the oil of anticipation. Andrew Marr is so his gimp. Jeremy Paxman is off to one side calling "I'm still big! It's just the elections that got small!" Peter Snow is rolling around on his back laughing like a child. He did just now only just avoid saying "it's just a bit of fun!"

Over on ITV Jonnie Dimbleby has been given a crap little studio and has to make do with Alistair McGowan and Neil Kinnock. They might as well give up now and put the camera on a TV monitor showing BBC1...

21:05 / 05.05.05

in Bethnal Green and Bow where George Galloway is standing we're hearing rumours that Oona King is in trouble...

21:05 / 05.05.05

Has C5 got little Mattie Dimblebey? The forgoten child...

21:06 / 05.05.05

Oh fuck, who let the bloke from Dead Ringers in?

21:07 / 05.05.05

Moray is bigger this year
Is that due to global warming or the local policy or reclaiming land from the sea?

so they all want it
I have heard that before. Not a lot to do in Moray on a Thursday night I guess.

Bear

21:07 / 05.05.05

John Culshaw is making me want to change over, I might stick with it if he does he Ozzy impression.

21:09 / 05.05.05

Apparently Living TV's coverage of the election is being done by Richard Dimbleby... (boom boom!)

Bear

21:10 / 05.05.05

Moray info here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/717.stm

It's all true...

Thursday in Elgin is grab a granny night, it's always the time to go out!

21:11 / 05.05.05

Hang on, Anne Widdicombe is still standing this year, what's she doing at the BBC studio?

And Ruth Kelly does have an odd voice. I'd never noticed that before.

21:14 / 05.05.05

bloody david steel and his bastard pager...

The Strobe

21:15 / 05.05.05

I'm at work. I'm going to be at work for quite some time. Awfully jolly, this; we have Radio 4 down our end, but can hear BBC 1 in stereo (from a digibox and terrestrial receiver) down the other end of the office.

Sunderland South are too keen for words.

21:16 / 05.05.05

They are so the school swots.

21:16 / 05.05.05

yeah, bunch of over-eager sixth formers running the results in. Will David last? He looks tired already...or drunk.

21:18 / 05.05.05

Ahh, he's into tantric newsreading. He can keep it up for hours. I'm just worried that Andrew Marr may shoot his wad all over Shirley Williams in the next few hours.

21:23 / 05.05.05

ITV seem to be intent on making Michael Portillo relive his defeat in 1997... It's something that really doesn't get old does it?

21:26 / 05.05.05

Labour hold Sunderland North, thankfully the BNP had the lowest total of the lot.

21:29 / 05.05.05

Oh dear, Stephen Twiglet, arch-nemesis of Portillo, in trouble in Enfield North.

21:32 / 05.05.05

Houghton tory looked like the ss officer in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

BNP man all alone, ha ha