This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/08/calm-after-the-storm-britons-cast-their-vote-at-end-of-tough-campaign

The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Calm after the storm: Britons cast their vote at end of tough campaign Calm after the storm: Britons cast their vote at end of tough campaign
(about 3 hours later)
After seven weeks of promises, warnings, heated debate and sometimes bruising dispute, Britain awoke to the comparative calm of an election day, going to the polls for the third crucial national vote in as many years. The shock of an exit poll predicting that Theresa May’s snap election gamble could cost her the overall control of the Commons sent a late-night jolt through the political establishment and the country.
Polling stations across the country opened at 7am on Thursday amid heightened security, after the general election campaign was twice interrupted by terrorist atrocities in Manchester and London. Polling stations closed at 10pm. At 10pm, after weeks of mainly lacklustre campaigning, the first serious indication of what the result could be was an electrifying moment that had broadcasters scrambling to rewrite their scripts, with a new and confounding storyline to attempt to make sense of the hours ahead.
Voters were advised to be alert and report any concerns to the police, hours after three men were arrested in east London in connection with the London Bridge attack, and a further three men were detained over a potential terrorist plot unconnected to Saturday’s one. With the Conservatives estimated to win 314 seats – down 17 and 12 short of a majority – and Labour at 266, up 34, with the SNP on 34 and the Liberal Democrats on 14, it was set to be a long, long night for both main parties.
“We appreciate that these are unprecedented times, and together with our partners we continue to keep communities safe,” said the Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner, Lucy D’Orsi. Suddenly the talk that had all been of the scale of Theresa May’s majority turned to coalitions and hung parliaments.
For the party leaders, the end of almost two months of interviews, rallies, catchphrases, U-turns, brain fades and no-shows will have come as a relief, leaving them with nothing to do except cast their own vote and smile for the cameras outside the local polling station. Even members of May’s own party suggested that the “Snowdonia moment” that had led her to call an election three years ahead of schedule, in search of certainty and stability, could be backfiring spectacularly – leaving her with neither. And with that came immediate speculation over how long, or even if, she could survive as party leader.
The prime minister, Theresa May, greeted reporters with a brisk “hello” before voting early with her husband, Philip, in their home village of Sonning, Berkshire, but did not speak further. Neither May nor Labour’s leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was breaking cover – though Labour leader was said to have been smiling broadly when last seen in his Islington North constituency.
By contrast, the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, beamed broadly as he voted in his north London constitutency, sporting a bright red tie and red Labour rosette. “Thank you all very much for coming here today,” he told waiting reporters. “It’s a day of our democracy. I’ve just voted and I’m very proud of our campaign.” The startled rabbits-in-headlights served up for public consumption were the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, who were hearing the poll results perched on the BBC’s election sofa.
He said “thank you” to a wellwisher who shouted that Corbyn would be the next prime minister, and ignored a reporter who asked if he would resign as leader if he lost. Both were cautious, naturally, given the recent history of polling. “Let’s wait and see,” said Fallon who, if rattled, was putting up a good show. Poll results have been wrong in the past and not a single vote had yet been counted, he cautioned.
McDonnell, too, initially urged caution. “We have to have some scepticism about all polls at the moment,” he said. But, as the figures began sinking in, an irrepressible hopefulness seemed to engulf him.
People had seen through May, he enthused, and had seen that the election had been called for party advantage rather than for the interests of the country. “People saw this as pure opportunism and it looks as though they have rejected it. Even if the result is anywhere near, this is a catastrophic error,” he added, with no little measure of glee.
By this stage not a single result had yet been declared. The BBC, ITV and Sky, who together commissioned the exit poll, were still in danger of being left with egg on their faces. Political commentators were astounded. Their sources equally so. Unbelievable, seemed to be the general consensus.
Over on the ITV election sofa, an excitable Ed Balls, former shadow chancellor turned Strictly Come Dancing superstar, was seizing the moment to make a bold punt. “If this is correct we’ll have another general election soon,” he warned.
Sitting alongside him George Osborne, the former chancellor turned newspaper editor, was predicting that, if the poll was correct, at the very least May could have to resign. “Clearly if she’s got a worse result than two years ago and is almost unable to form a government then she, I doubt, will survive in the long term as Conservative party leader.” Did he relish her discomfiture? Was he, perhaps, now regretting his decision to quit as an MP?
Meanwhile Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, was reminding everyone: “Tim Farron made it very clear: no pact, no deal, no coalition.” The DUP’s Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was contemplating the prospect of his party becoming serious players in a hung parliament, lending support to the Tories.
If it was a night of upsets, there was none greater than that of Newcastle stealing the crown for fastest count from its neighbour and rival Sunderland.
For 25 years and six general elections Sunderland has been the first count in the country to declare. But its proud record fell at 11pm, as Newcastle Central declared with Labour’s candidate, Chi Onwurah, winning and the Labour vote up 9.9% .
Long before the drama of the exit poll appeared to blow expectations apart, a different kind of tension had animated election day. The polls opened at 7am amid heightened security, after the general election campaign had twice been interrupted by terrorist atrocities, in Manchester and London.
Voters were advised to be alert and to report any concerns to the police, hours after three men were arrested in east London in connection with the London Bridge attack and a further three men were detained over an unconnected potential terrorist plot.
“We appreciate that these are unprecedented times and together with our partners we continue to keep communities safe,” said the Metropolitan police’s deputy assistant commissioner, Lucy D’Orsi.
For the party leaders the end of almost two months of interviews, rallies, catchphrases, U-turns, brain fades and no-shows will have come as a relief, leaving them with nothing to do except cast their own votes and smile for the cameras outside their local polling stations.
The prime minister greeted reporters with a brisk “hello” before voting early with her husband, Philip, in their home village of Sonning, Berkshire, but did not speak further.
By contrast Corbyn, beamed broadly as he voted in his north London constituency, sporting a bright red tie and Labour rosette. “Thank you all very much for coming here today,” he told waiting reporters. “It’s a day of our democracy. I’ve just voted and I’m very proud of our campaign.”
He thanked a well-wisher who shouted that Corbyn would be the next prime minister and ignored a reporter who asked if he would resign as leader if he lost.
There were scuffles among photographers outside the Lake District polling station where Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, cast his vote.There were scuffles among photographers outside the Lake District polling station where Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, cast his vote.
Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, joined a social media trend by posting pictures on Twitter under the hashtag #dogsatpollingstations, bringing along her pet, Wilson, as she cast her vote in central Edinburgh. Meanwhile Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, joined a social media trend by posting pictures on Twitter under the hashtag #dogsatpollingstations, bringing along her pet, Wilson, when she cast her vote in central Edinburgh.
Team Davidson voting in Edinburgh this morning. Wilson's #dogsatpollingstations debut... pic.twitter.com/QdM4cAmMMjTeam Davidson voting in Edinburgh this morning. Wilson's #dogsatpollingstations debut... pic.twitter.com/QdM4cAmMMj
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister and leader of the Scottish National party, said she was feeling good and waved at photographers after voting at a Glasgow community hall.Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister and leader of the Scottish National party, said she was feeling good and waved at photographers after voting at a Glasgow community hall.
Voters reported queues early in the morning outside polling stations; others posted photographs of young people waiting in line to vote, including at the universities of East Anglia, Kent and Warwick, and at polling booths in the two constituencies in Oxford.Voters reported queues early in the morning outside polling stations; others posted photographs of young people waiting in line to vote, including at the universities of East Anglia, Kent and Warwick, and at polling booths in the two constituencies in Oxford.
After a campaign characterised by a wildly divergent range of polling on the parties’ chances of victory, the final opinion poll of the campaign, conducted by Ipsos Mori for the London Evening Standard and published on Thursday, gave the Conservatives a comfortable eight-point lead over Labour, at 44% to 36%, with the Liberal Democrats on 7%, Ukip on 4% and the Greens 2%.After a campaign characterised by a wildly divergent range of polling on the parties’ chances of victory, the final opinion poll of the campaign, conducted by Ipsos Mori for the London Evening Standard and published on Thursday, gave the Conservatives a comfortable eight-point lead over Labour, at 44% to 36%, with the Liberal Democrats on 7%, Ukip on 4% and the Greens 2%.
Unlike in previous elections, however, the different polls have not converged as polling day approached. A Survation poll on the eve of the election had the two major parties almost neck and neck, with 41.3% expressing support for the Conservatives and 40.4% for Labour; the Liberal Democrats were on 7.8%, SNP on 3.6%, Ukip on 2.4% and the Greens on 2.3%. Unlike previous elections, however, the different polls have not converged as polling day approached. A Survation poll on the eve of the election had the two major parties almost neck and neck, with 41.3% expressing support for the Conservatives and 40.4% for Labour; the Liberal Democrats were on 7.8%, SNP on 3.6%, Ukip on 2.4% and the Greens on 2.3%.
Late polls by ICM for the Guardian, ComRes for the Independent and YouGov for the Times had the Tories ahead by 12, 10 and seven percentage points respectively. A “poll of polls” compiled by the Press Association on Wednesday, taking in 10 results from the previous week, put the Conservatives on 44%, seven points clear of Labour on 37%, with the Lib Dems on 8%, Ukip on 4% and the Greens on 2%.Late polls by ICM for the Guardian, ComRes for the Independent and YouGov for the Times had the Tories ahead by 12, 10 and seven percentage points respectively. A “poll of polls” compiled by the Press Association on Wednesday, taking in 10 results from the previous week, put the Conservatives on 44%, seven points clear of Labour on 37%, with the Lib Dems on 8%, Ukip on 4% and the Greens on 2%.
Voters in Northern Ireland, casting their ballots just three months after a snap assembly election triggered by a collapse in power-sharing, turned out in heavy rain at polling stations. Voters in Northern Ireland, who were casting their ballots just three months after a snap assembly election caused by a collapse in power-sharing, turned out to polling stations in heavy rain.
The Alliance candidate for Belfast West, Sorcha Eastwood, cast her vote at Lisburn in her wedding dress, having married Dale Shirlowearlier in the day. The Alliance candidate for Belfast West, Sorcha Eastwood, cast her vote at Lisburn in her wedding dress, having married Dale Shirlow earlier in the day.
In Wells, one of six constituencies from which the Guardian has been reporting in-depth since the start of the campaign, the Lib Dem candidate Tessa Munt – who was ousted two years ago by Tory James Heappey – described the campaign as one of the most confusing she had ever faced. “It’s peppered with different levels of concern about international, as well as national, as well as local issues,” she said. “It’s extraordinary.” In Wells, one of six constituencies from which the Guardian has been reporting in-depth since the start of the campaign, the Lib Dem candidate, Tessa Munt – who was ousted two years ago by a Tory, James Heappey – described the campaign as one of the most confusing she had ever faced. “It’s peppered with different levels of concern about international, as well as national, as well as local issues,” she said. “It’s extraordinary.”
In her final message of the campaign on Wednesday, May sought once again to steer the campaign back to Brexit, an issue on which the Tories believe they hold an advantage over Labour. It was also a useful distraction from her embarrassing U-turn over the party’s policy on social care funding and controversy over her role in police cuts, both of which saw her initial huge poll lead slashed. In her final message of the campaign on Wednesday, May sought once again to steer the campaign back to Brexit, an issue on which the Tories believe they hold an advantage over Labour. It was also a useful distraction from her embarrassing U-turn over the party’s policy on social care funding and controversy over her role in police cuts, both of which saw her initially huge poll lead slashed.
“If we get Brexit right, we can build a Britain that is more prosperous and more secure … The greatest meritocracy in the world,” May said.“If we get Brexit right, we can build a Britain that is more prosperous and more secure … The greatest meritocracy in the world,” May said.
In a message aimed directly at wavering voters, she added: “I can only build that better country and get the right deal in Brussels with the support of the British people. So whoever you have voted for in the past, if that is the future you want then vote Conservative today and we can all go forward together.”In a message aimed directly at wavering voters, she added: “I can only build that better country and get the right deal in Brussels with the support of the British people. So whoever you have voted for in the past, if that is the future you want then vote Conservative today and we can all go forward together.”
Corbyn closed his campaign on Wednesday by addressing a packed rally in his Islington heartland, where he claimed to have reshaped British politics and vowed that Labour was preparing for government. Corbyn closed his campaign on Wednesday by addressing a packed rally in his Islington heartland, where he claimed to have reshaped British politics and vowed that Labour was preparing for government. “We have already changed the debate and given people hope,” he said. “Hope that it doesn’t have to be like this, that inequality can be tackled, that austerity can be ended, that you can stand up to the elites and the cynics. This is the new centre-ground.”
“We have already changed the debate and given people hope,” he said. “Hope that it doesn’t have to be like this, that inequality can be tackled, that austerity can be ended, that you can stand up to the elites and the cynics. This is the new centre-ground.”
The Labour leader awoke to a characteristically hostile front page on the Sun, which pictured him emerging from a dustbin under the headline: “Don’t chuck Britain in the Cor-bin.” The headline prompted a response on social media from some of his supporters, who vowed to buy as many copies of the paper as they could find and put them in the bin first.
A day after the Daily Mail declared Corbyn and his key allies John McDonnell and Diane Abbott to be “apologists for terror”, however, the paper opted for a more positive front page on Thursday, telling readers: “Let’s reignite British spirit,” under a beaming photograph of May.
The election day splash of the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror featured an unflattering picture of the prime minister with the headline: “Lies, damned lies and Theresa May.”