British Election - First Numbers

For the past three elections, the first constituency to release poll results has been Sunderland South. This constituency has been in Labour hands since 1992, when Chris Mullin seized the seat. The seat is considered safe by any standards, with a 63% share in 2001, 68% in '97 and a hair under 58% in 1992.

And the first result of the evening is.....

drumroll, please

Chris Mullin, Labour - 17,982

That's about 59% of the popular vote. While solid, it's by no means a good sign for Labour. It's very good for the Lib Dems - they stole 3% of Labour's share.

I'll be liveblogging the results as they come in throughout the evening over at Sortapundit. Feel free to drop by to pick up the latest news.

Blair Set for Win, Cut Majority/Links/Blogs

Reuters:

Prime Minister Tony Blair has secured a third successive term in power with a much reduced parliamentary majority of 66, down from 161 last time, according to an exit poll of British voters on Thursday.

The poll, for main television broadcasters the BBC and ITV, predicted a margin of victory in Britain's election which still leaves a slight doubt about the actual result.
[..]

The exit poll forecast Blair's Labour won a 37 percent share of the vote, with the main opposition Conservatives on 33 percent and the Liberal Democrats, who opposed the Iraq war, on 22 percent.

The pound fell against the dollar and the euro after exit polls showed Prime Minister Tony Blair's parliamentary majority was cut in today's U.K. election. Blair's Labour Party may secure a majority of 66 seats in the nation's parliament, down from 161, the British Broadcasting Corp. projected. Spread betting Firm IG Index offered a spread of 88 to 94 seats as the size of Blair's majority on the day before the vote.

Timesonline minute by minute election coverage
Guardian election blog
Hurry Up Harry has an open comment thread on the election results

Here's a long list of blogs live reporting on the election.

TCP's own SortaPundit is live blogging the results.

Election Day in UK

Britons head to polls as Blair seeks third term:

Voters cast ballots in village halls, schools and even pubs across Britain Thursday in a national election that is expected to give Prime Minister Tony Blair a third term in office despite widespread anger over the Iraq war.

Britain's voters headed to the polls Thursday with most signs pointing to an historic third term for Prime Minister Tony Blair's ruling Labor Party, but with a reduced majority that would largely reflect public disaffection with Blair's support for the war in Iraq.

BBC Election page

Blogger Mark Kilmer covers the election.

Blair Sets May 5 as Election Date

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, eager to lead his Labor Party to an unprecedented third straight term in power, ended weeks of speculation Tuesday and called a general election for May 5.

Blair traveled to Buckingham Palace where he asked Queen Elizabeth II for permission to dissolve parliament -- a formality that marked the start of the official election campaign.

Upon returning to his Downing Street residence about 20 minutes later, he declared: "There will be a general election in Britain on May 5."

The date -- exactly one month away -- had been widely anticipated for a number of weeks, although it was announced 24 hours later than expected in the aftermath of Saturday's death of Pope John Paul II.

Labor is expected to be returned to power, but a fresh crop of opinion polls on Tuesday indicated that it was losing its lead on the main opposition Conservatives, with the Liberal Democrats well back in third place.

Read more...