Two in the middle and I can’t catch Cameron.
Two in the middle and I can’t get around.
Two in the middle and I can’t catch Cameron.
Goodbye, Gordon Brown.
[/obscure Chad Mitchell Trio reference that only my parents will get]
Uh, so there’s an election today across the pond, over in the U.K., or as Wonkette and other snarky folks on the Internets call it, Knifecrime Island … or, as Irish nationalists call it, &$%&@%!!! Anyway, on this glorious day of sorta kinda democracy, in which even a first-place finish might land the Liberal Democrats only a small sliver of Parliament, let me be the first say, God Bless England:
If there was any doubt about why I love reading news that involves British people (and, uh, Welsh people, I guess*), check out the top item right now on the BBC’s breaking election news page:
Ieuan Wyn Jones, leader of Plaid Cymru, cast his vote this lunchtime for the general election in the town of Llangefni in the constituency of Ynys Mon, north Wales.
Teehee.
Polls close at 10:00 PM local time, which is 3:00 PM Mountain Time. But according to Wonkette, “Due to the quaint customs of Merry Olde England, Stabby Olde Scotland, Weird Olde Wales and Troubled Olde Northern Ireland, vote counts will not be revealed until Friday — a full night after polling ends!” Not sure how accurate that is; it should be noted that “Friday” begins two hours after the polls close, at 5pm in Denver. Hmm.
[UPDATE: In comments, Charles Fenwick suggests that perhaps Wonkette is joking, and in any event, “results will be rolling in on Friday, throughout the early hours. The BBC says “The first declarations are expected at 2300 BST [Thursday]. (4 PM Mountain Time).” So, there it is, then. Jolly good.]
*Let the record show that my ancestry is one-eighth Welsh. I also have some indeterminate, but not insubstantial, amount of English blood, from my “Western European mutt” grandfathers. As much as I make of my 25% Irishness — which comes from my only grandparent who was 100% anything, my dad’s mom, Helen McNamara Loy — I actually probably have more British than Irish blood.
No telling if Wonkette realizes that “Friday” is two hours after the polls close and was making a joke or if she didn’t catch that.
Anyhow, results will be rolling in on Friday, throughout the early hours. The BBC says “The first declarations are expected at 2300 BST. ” (4 PM Mountain Time).
Correct me if I’m wrong (US schools tend to be weak on teaching about the nuts and bolts of foreign governmental systems, and the British system is a special hybrid of Parliamentary… so…), but under the British Parliamentary system, the way this is likely to shake out is with coalition government. And looking at the numbers both sides have, it won’t be a particularly strong one? Obviously, Labour’s position, should they come up with enough seats, looks to be significantly weaker than the Conservatives, should they come up with enough seats. Yes no?
As much as I make of my 25% Irishness… I actually probably have more British than Irish blood.
I suspect that’s probably true of many Irish folk in Ireland as well, if you go back far enough. 😉
Also, you mentioned Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland but hey — what about Cornwall?!?
dcl, I’m no Expert either but that sounds about right to me. / Except that apparently what the rest of the world calls a Coalition Government, the Brits call a “Hung Parliament.” Like Brendan said, “God bless England.” :} Actually I bet the Sinn Féin delegation from northeast Ulster would like nothing better than to Hang the Parliament; but since the elected SF MPs refuse to Participate in the illegitimate Imperialist legislature, it becomes difficult to Smuggle the Nooses into Commons. / “Up the long Ladder and down the short Rope / To hell with King Billy and God bless the Pope /…” etc ;]
Recently, when trying to identify via an Official source the precise Constituencies of several incumbent MPs — namely G. Brown (Lab), M. McGuinness (SF) and G. Adams (SF) — I was both Frustrated & Delighted to learn that in Actual Fact at present there are no incumbent MPs. Go ahead, navigate around the site, try to Trick it into naming some Members somewhere. It won’t. They’re Gone. (Through today, at least.) By Jove, when Her Majesty dissolves Parliament she Dissolves Parliament! O God bless England is our Prayer!
Yes, it’s a Man’s Life in the British Dental Association. 🙂
Well, now that Parliament page I linked to (re No MPs) doesn’t seem to work but if not (a) try this one and (b) if that doesn’t work either, Trust Me. :> The message was,
(Makes perfect sense, really. I’m just accustomed to our Definite Terms of Office, over Here, which continue through and beyond the Election date. )
“…but hey — what about Cornwall?!?”
Andrew, you refer to Kernow. What About it, indeed? 🙂
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