Election '08 blog

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 17:49

Welcome to Searchlight’s Election ’08 blog. Over the course of this evening and tomorrow I hope to report on the votes as they come in and give an initial analysis.

Over the past few hours I’ve had a number of calls from journalists, politicians and local activists asking me how I think it will go. The truthful answer is that I really don’t know. I’ve spent much of this election campaign working London so I don’t really have a feel for what is happening around the country. There appears to be no great movement to the BNP but I guess the question is whether they will benefit from the expected drop in the Labour vote.

Most eyes will be on London, which counts tomorrow and the result is unlikely to be announced until 8pm or even later. The BNP only need to add another 6,000 votes to their 2004 result (on the basis of a similar turnout) so they are confident of getting someone elected.

Here are some of the key seats I’ll be watching out for outside London. They include some of the most vulnerable wards but also others where the rival far right groups might be challenging the BNP or local factors have made them interesting. Either way, over the course of the evening I’ll try to add a bit of background to some of these wards.

Ardsley & Robin Hood (Leeds)

Aveley and Uplands (Thurrock)

Brockmoor & Pensett (Dudley)

Coedpoeth (Wrexham)

Darton West (Barnsley)

Hapton-with-Park (Burnley)

Heanor West (Amber Valley)

Heckmondwike (Kirklees)

Longton North (Stoke-on-Trent)

Loughton Alderton, Loughton Broadway, Loughton Fairmead (all Epping)

Princes End (Sandwell)

Queensbury (Bradford)

To make this blog work effectively I need information so please send me down the results as you get them. A more detailed and comprehensive list of election results will be posted on the Hope not hate site as soon as possible.

Please send reports, results, election count stories to me, either as a comment to this blog or by email at

Until later…