Britain is heading for a hung parliament according to the final opinion polls released as the campaigns ended.
The surveys gave the Tories a lead of up to nine points but none of them handed outright victory to David Cameron.
The Populus survery for The Times put the Tories up one point on 37% with Labour on 28% (down one) and the Lib Dems also down a point on 27%.
The ICM poll for the Guardian put the Tories on 36%, Labour on 28% and the Lib Dems on 26%.
The ComRes poll for ITV News and The Independent had the Tories nine points ahead on 37%, with Labour and the Lib Dems tied on 28 points.
I can’t remember an election where the polls got it completely right. The trends are clear though, and I do have a sense though that people do not want indecision and chaos and we will get an answer today – Greece will have concentrated minds. Early indications are of a good turn out – one way or another people will vote, even if it means voting for the perceived least worst choice.
I find myself in a fascinating position. Some of my conservative friends in the USA consider my political position to be suspect and liberal, especially those who know my voting preferences over the last quarter century. Now I am back in the UK I find myself in the fascinating position where I will be voting for the candidate whose attitudes and approaches are closest to my own. This means that colleagues and friends here consider my political position to be suspect and dangerously to the right. What is does mean is that whichever side of the Atlantic I am on, the party’s color is blue!
Richard,
As I’ve always said, the Tories since WWII at the latest, and perhaps as far back as WWI, despite their official name, are much closer to US Democrats than US Republicans, and under Cameron they’ve been constantly tacking to the left to woo votes. That said, they’re much, much, better than the rabid left-socialists of Labour or the wingnut Lib Dems. In my humble opinion, of course.
Is there any group in the UK that is actually conservative?
Great to hear from two Brits, so far. Maybe more will chime in. Alas, I was hoping the Tories would come away with a clear majority, but it looks like they’ll have to form a coalition government.
Thanks for sharing your personal testimony with regard to your political allegiances, Richard. The irony of your situation, with the conflicting views of your friends on either side of the Atlantic seeming to cancel each other out, suggests you’ve adopted a rather Anglican via media.
FWIW, I was raised in a strongly Democratic family, but consider myself an Independent and haven’t voted for a Democrat for president since Jimmy Carter. Although I dislike labels, I reluctantly concede that perhaps “Neo-conservative,” will do. In any case, I like the way one neo-con wag described the story of many of us, that we’re [i]”ex-liberals who were mugged by reality.”[/i]
David Handy+
I’m fascinated by this. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a one MONTH campaign and more than two viable parties here in the States? Our U.S. presidential elections are like a drawn-out American Idol.
Is there any group in the UK that is actually conservative?
The BNP.
#7 Would you consider white supremacists and national socialists in the US as a “conservative” group DrDr robroy?
One of the problems of words like ‘conservative’ and ‘liberal’ is that they are both very slippery. Each culture defines them from within their own environment, so the final understanding of them is highly relativistic. British conservatives are not like American conservatives, and are honestly baffled at a lot of things American conservatives will fight to the death for. Vice-versa is true. For example, they scratch their heads over the inability of the USA to create a healthcare system that provides everyone with at least some kind of coverage.
However, it is political conservatives in this country who seem the most willing to create an enterprise culture in which fairness is to provide equality of opportunity to everyone. The other parties tend to define fairness in terms of outcomes.
Another factor in British culture and politics there are deep class animosities that have been there for centuries and will not go away. To be described as ‘posh’ these days is a sneer that is used when reason runs out.
There is no religious right in this country, either. But then the Christian churches are on the back foot already in an aggressively secular, politically correct environment.
However, despite the fact that there is a denigration of history and tradition here, there is also an in-built paternalism throughout society that is obviously a ‘conservative’ hangover from the past, but which would have most Americans (including this one) squirming with discomfort.
As Pageantmaster says, however, there are white racists and those whose attitudes have a very nasty flavor that might be described as conservatives, but who all sensitive people in the States, whether conservative or not, would shy away from in horror.