Tuesday, February 09, 2010

BREAKING NEWS: Election Night Counts to be Saved!

Jack Straw has just announced he has added his name to an Opposition amendment aimed at forcing councils to hold election counts on the night itself. There will now be a vote and the vote will be a free one. This means that legislation is now likely to be amended. Electoral Registration officers had better take note.

Well done to Jack Straw, and even more well done to Jonathan Isaby for launching the campaign which has now culminated in success.

UPDATE: our good chum, Chairman Pickles has just issued this proclamation...
“This is a great victory common sense and the voting public. I applaud Jonathan Isaby and Conservativehome for the tenacious way they have supported the cross party campaign. Given the massive cross-party support for saving general election night, it is vital that any clarified law does not fall because of disputes over more controversial aspects of the Bill. Subject to the will of Parliament, the Electoral Commission should now take urgent steps to issue new guidance to Electoral Returning Officers to prepare for overnight counts.”

16 comments:

Michael Heaver said...

Get in!

Tapestry said...

less chance for ballot box tampering, like in the irish referendum..goings-on in Cork City Hall the night of the 'count'.

Youtube LINK HERE

Shaun said...

Hopefully this will get chalked up as an incidence of the internet *saving* a real world institution!

Unknown said...

There should be manual counts. We should vote electronically.

http://generalelection.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/how-long-before-we-vote-online/

bnzss said...

This is good to hear.

Richard Gadsden said...

Are there going to be exceptions for the really spread-out seats like the Scillies and the Scottish Isles? I wouldn't fancy trying to move the ballot boxes off some of the smaller islands in the dark - boatmen or helicopter pilots would be put at unnecessary risk.

The Purpleline said...

Iain- I know this is slightly off topic, I would like to ask a question regarding tactics for the coming election campaign. I believe the Tory party should change tack tonight and vote in favour of the motion of holding a referendum on AV.

Then surprise everyone, just before the vote by announcing their intention to add another further question in the referendum on EU membership or Scottish MP’s
being restricted not to vote on English laws.

I think it would be a vote winner and it would be accepted as the Money question to hold the referendum has already been passed.

A little Machiavellian perhaps, but it would haunt Brown, as an own goal and the Tory party would have a vote winner for their manifesto.

Anonymous said...

of course, Gadsden.

gawd give me strength.

PS
congratulations to all the blogsites who are parodying labours latest poster.
Sauce for goose ...

Anonymous said...

PPS - I agree with 'info', then we could have some hanging chavs ....

Nich Starling said...

This is tory double speak Iain. All the counts in Norfolk that are being held over to Friday are Tory Councils. All the counts that are being held on the night are lib Dem or Labour.

Your own Party could fix this without needing a new law.

Anonymous said...

FFS Iain,
Jack Straw does nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, unless it is for personal gain.
"well done Jack Straw" my arse!
Try finding out why he really made that announcement!

Richard Manns said...

@ Norfolk Blogger

Errr, wrong! What makes you think that the coucillors of any area can simply order the Returning Officer about?

Iain Dale said...

Norfolk Blogger, how typical of you to put your yellow rimmed spectacles on. If it were as simple as a council leader ordering the returning officer to do it, don't you think it would have happened. As a former councillor you should know that's not how it works.

Andy JS said...

This is excellent news. Congratulations to Jack Straw (something I didn't anticipate saying).

Hopefully I'll be able to fill in the missing information in the list of the top 200 Tory targets soon:

http://bit.ly/bKEYBv

Simon Gardner said...

And still a lot of fuss about nothing - of interest to election nerds only.

Turnip said...

They've also announced the single Norfolk unitary council's not going ahead today. Hurrah...