Last night I approached with much excitement. Last night I was prepared. I had wine, I had snacks, I even had a fully kitted out sofa bed in front of the TV.
At 11pm I marched an asleep Mr B off to bed and settled in. I was excited. I was excited to see how this general election would change the face of the last five years of British politics under Tory (Coalition) rule.
And then the BBC exit poll happened. My heart in my mouth I searched #GE2015 and #BBCexitpoll frantically on twitter looking for some solace. For confirmation that it couldn’t possibly right. Could it? My timeline was streaming so fast I could barely keep up with those looking for exactly the same answers as me. Twitter was CROSS…but there was still some hope.
A YouGov poll said different, so they must be right? Paddy Ashdown offered to eat his own hat if the BBC poll was right.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief and watched the first few counts come in. Labour, all of them. I snuggled up.
And a few hours later it all went to hell.
You know what happened.
Scotland ‘roared like a lion’. Labour took the hit.
The Lib Dems, predictably, got punished for their behaviour in rolling over on tuition fees at the formation of the coalition five years ago and were, quite simply, obliterated.
The political map turned more and more blue.
I dozed in and out in horror.
My dreams no better than the reality unfolding.
I fear we, the UK public, missed an opportunity here.
I worry for the old, the sick, the poor. I worry for the families desperately trying to rent decent homes and failing. Struggling to make a choice between eating and heating.
I fear for the increased reliance on food banks – something I had never even heard of in my own childhood.
Mostly I fear for the NHS. Our AMAZING NHS. I cannot see how it can possibly survive another five years of Tory rule.
Will they save me some tax? Yes, probably.
Will I save on childcare? If they do what they said they would, yes, probably.
Will our country be better with them in power?
I can’t see how.
I hope I’m wrong.
I’m looking at you right now Dave.
Please don’t screw this up.
Here here x
I hear you, sis. The moment that exit poll flashed up at 22:01 last night I was like WTF.
I had been certain that we were due another hung parliament with yet another coalition of some kind to be created between two or more parties.
It turned out to be oh so very depressing.
So much so. Ugh.
I have quite literally spent the entire day feeling really depressed. Not another five years of GEORGE BL$$DY OSBORNE…nooo!! You think the NHS is bad, you should look into the mess the Tories have made of the prison system. Apparently, the only thing that matters is making cuts… rehabilitation seems to have taken a running jump out of the nearest Tory window!
We can only hope that with such a small minority there will be a significant number of backbenchers that could potentially make any AWFUL decisions difficult to legislate.
I must admit that I was very surprised by the results – let’s hope that our worst fears aren’t realised and that we are proved wrong x
I hope so.
Well done you for documenting this moment, I think our kids will want to know some answers later down the line, so sad 🙁
Black day.
Here, here….So far I can’t see how the government is going to do anything for me….I was surprised by the result too x
I am still stunned. The earlier polls had ALL been so close.
I did actually think that the Tories would stay in power, I didn’t think their win would be this obvious. No matter how the people of the UK voted, I hope those in power will do the very best they can for ALL the people of their country…
I have watched the reactions across social media, I have seen upset, elation, frustration and downright fury. It has certainly been a fraught 24 hours.
As you know from my very public goings on in Facebook today, I’m genuinely devastated and feel hugely disillusioned about the voting population of the UK. I’ve also spent most of today swinging between anger, sadness and utter disbelief but I guess now is the time to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and carry on regardless. I can’t say I’m having any positive feelings about the next five years at all, but it is what it is.
Just like you I was so shocked by the exit poll. I cannot believe how much changed from earlier polls. I worry for education and how many more teachers will now walk away from the classroom.
Good blog Mrs B, I am not hugely motivated or excited by politics but obviously do take an interest in the how the country is governed.
Anyway, my point is: We should relish and enjoy the triumph of living in a secure and civilised democracy. The government has been voted for, it won’t be perfect but none of the parties could have been. I think Labour are going to perpetually struggle until they find a genuine man of the people who has not made a living from politics and proven him/herself as a ‘stand up guy’. Lord Sugar? [joking].
I could waffle on for ages but will refrain. The other bonus, Farage has quit! Hooray.
That was a bonus! And you are right. Even if the result is not what I had wished for at least it did happen democratically.
I think this is very well put Jenny, well written
I don’t know much about politics and i feel i should not express my opinion in this matter. I do think that conservatives will win again though…
All opinions welcome here honey.
I have to say that this past week is not one I have missed at all being away from home… 😀
I have to say that I am really disappointed in the way people have behaved since not getting the result that they wanted though.