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The Maybot asked us to strengthen her hand over Brexit – we declined The Maybot asked us to strengthen her hand over Brexit – we declined
(about 1 hour later)
As the exit poll was announced on the stroke of 10, the opinion room at ITN went into a state of shock. Only a few stunned cheers from Labour supporters broke the silence. The entire script of the general election had been shredded. If the polls were anywhere near correct then the Supreme Leader had blown a 20 point lead in just seven weeks and would end up with fewer seats than David Cameron in 2015. The Maybot had asked the country to strengthen her hand in the Brexit negotiations and the country had replied: “If it’s all the same with you, we don’t think we’ll bother.” As the exit poll was announced on the stroke of 10, the opinion room at ITN went into a state of shock. Only a few stunned cheers from Labour supporters broke the silence.
The only inkling that something extraordinary might be on the cards had come in the ITN studios where presenter Tom Bradby was rehearsing with Professor Jane Green from the British Election Study team. A graph appeared on the green screen showing a strong correlation between how people had voted in the referendum and voting intentions in the general election. “That’s unexpected,” Bradby had said. Green agreed but both of them left it there. At the time it just seemed like an outlier. The entire script of the general election had been shredded. If the polls were anywhere near correct then the Supreme Leader had blown a 20-point lead in just seven weeks and would end up with fewer seats than David Cameron in 2015. The Maybot had asked the country to strengthen her hand in the Brexit negotiations and the country had replied: “If it’s all the same with you, we don’t think we’ll bother.”
Certainly no one in the spin room had a clue what was coming. On the way in I had bumped into Robert Peston. “What’s your prediction?” I asked. “Who knows?” he had said. “A Tory majority of about 80?” I asked the same of the columnist Matthew Parris. “A Tory majority of 67” he had replied. “But I am only being that precise to sound as if I know what I’m talking about.” Even so, both he and Peston sounded entirely plausible. Certainly no one in the spin room had a clue what was coming. On the way in I had bumped into Robert Peston. “What’s your prediction?” I asked. “Who knows?” he had said. “A Tory majority of about 80?” I asked the same of the columnist Matthew Parris. “A Tory majority of 67,” he had replied. “But I am only being that precise to sound as if I know what I’m talking about.” Even so, both he and Peston sounded entirely plausible.
Once the exit poll had been released, it was time to check in with Camilla Cavendish who had worked for David Cameron in the Number 10 policy unit. Surely her old boss must be feeling a little bit of schadenfreude at the Maybot’s apparent demise. “Oh no,” she said loyally. “He’s really not that type of person.” Not even a little bit? “Absolutely not.” Once the exit poll result had been released, I caught up with Camilla Cavendish who had worked for Cameron in the No 10 policy unit. Surely her old boss must be feeling a little bit of schadenfreude at the Maybot’s apparent demise? “Oh no,” she said loyally. “He’s really not that type of person.” Not even a little bit? “Absolutely not.”
But one member of the ancien régime wasn’t quite so good at disguising his emotions. George Osborne was one of ITV’s studio guests and there was a definite sparkle in his eye as the Tories were predicted to get just 314 seats. But after the momentary sense of elation and vindication there was a longer expression of barely concealed regret. If he hadn’t been quite so quick to abandon his career on the backbenches for the editorship of the Evening Standard, then he might have been one of the frontrunners to take over the leadership of the Tory party within a matter of weeks. But one member of the ancien régime wasn’t quite so good at disguising his emotions. George Osborne was one of ITV’s studio guests and there was a definite sparkle in his eye as the Tories were predicted to get just 314 seats. But after the momentary sense of elation and vindication, there was a longer expression of barely concealed regret. If he hadn’t been quite so quick to abandon his career on the backbenches for the editorship of the Evening Standard, then he might have been one of the frontrunners to take over the leadership of the Tory party within a matter of weeks.
By now it was clear that no one really knew what they were talking about. Of all the outcomes that had been considered, the possibility of a hung parliament had never really featured. Ed Balls, another studio guest, also appeared to be experiencing mixed emotions – ecstatic at the apparent Labour revival and gutted not to be at the centre of it. He had come prepared to write Jeremy Corbyn’s obituary and was now having to ad lib tentative praise. By now it was clear that no one really knew what they were talking about. Of all the outcomes that had been rehearsed, the possibility of a hung parliament had never really featured. On the Google screen, the main subject trending was: “What happens next to Theresa May?” It was a question that would go unanswered throughout the night. As would most others. The young people had turned out in numbers and everything was now up for grabs. The hard Brexit that the Maybot had considered a done deal was now a distant memory.
Ed Balls, another studio guest, appeared to be experiencing similar mixed emotions to Osborne: ecstatic at the apparent Labour revival and gutted not to be at the centre of it. He had come prepared to write Jeremy Corbyn’s obituary and was now having to ad-lib tentative praise. But the longer the night went on the more the personal disappointment dissipated. Tribal loyalties die hard and watching Tories suffer the hubris brought on by their own complacency was just too much fun. “It’s a total mess,” he said happily.
It was hard to know which party was more caught on the hop, the Tories or Labour. Both sides were lost for words. Michael Gove was first to rally to the Conservative cause by pointing out that exit polls could be wrong and that it was too early to rush to judgment. But he still looked as if he knew the game was up.It was hard to know which party was more caught on the hop, the Tories or Labour. Both sides were lost for words. Michael Gove was first to rally to the Conservative cause by pointing out that exit polls could be wrong and that it was too early to rush to judgment. But he still looked as if he knew the game was up.
Even if the Maybot were to squeeze over the line with a narrow majority, her authority would be destroyed. She would be a laughing stock in the country and the Tories would never forgive her. As Gove spoke, Lynton Crosby was quietly handing back his knighthood. No one would ever trust him to run a general election again. A red-eyed Liam Fox could barely remember his own name. The studio manager passed him a tissue to wipe his tears and bundled him into a cab. Even if the Maybot was to squeeze over the line with a narrow majority, her authority would be destroyed. She would be a laughing stock in the country and the Tories would never forgive her. As Gove spoke, Lynton Crosby was quietly handing back his knighthood. No one would ever trust him to run a general election again. A red-eyed Liam Fox could barely remember his own name. The studio manager passed him a tissue to wipe his tears and bundled him into a cab.
The only person who seemed to be almost entirely unbothered by the turn of events was Stanley Johnson. “Isn’t this exciting?” he said cheerfully. I wasn’t entirely sure his son Boris would be feeling the same way. It was still early in the night but it was looking like turning into a long, hard and worrying one for the Tories. Shortly after midnight, John McDonnell appeared, trying his best not to gloat. The shadow chancellor has never knowingly let a smile grace his mouth but there were definite signs of pleasure. He too was insistent that it was still too soon to make any predictions. But it wasn’t quite. The one prediction everyone could safely make was that almost every polling company had got their sums wrong yet again. Labour was cleaning up in London and even winning seats in Scotland.
The only person who seemed to be almost entirely unbothered by the turn of events was Stanley Johnson. “Isn’t this exciting?” he said cheerfully. It was unlikely his son Boris was feeling the same way. It was still early in the night but it was looking like turning into a long, hard one for the Tories.