U.K. Politics: Nadine Dorries resigns her post as MP - or does she?

[Artoo]

Will we know who won shortly after polling sites close or will this take all night like with the referendum?

All nighter. First results usually come in around 1am, with the north east traditionally first. Usually I go to bed with Labour in the lead and wake up with them losing

[heppolo]

But I wonder why Conservatives rarely have any substance beyond smear campaigns of the opponents

This is ironic as this is exactly how Labour voters have behaved on social media.

Social media is one thing, but a long, long history of Conservative campaign ads is just "Labour's bad" through and through
John Cleese had a point back in the day, everyone should abandon the two main parties once and for all
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[Wayne]

Final poll for the Independent shows Theresa winning with a 10 point lead which translates to a 74 seat majority.

This would represent the biggest Tory landslide since Thatcher.

[Artoo]

Final poll for the Independent shows Theresa winning with a 10 point lead which translates to a 74 seat majority.

This would represent the biggest Tory landslide since Thatcher.

And definitely result in Corbyn gone. Like I said, win win for this Labour supporter

[heppolo]

Final poll for the Independent shows Theresa winning with a 10 point lead which translates to a 74 seat majority.

This would represent the biggest Tory landslide since Thatcher.

John Major had a 7.5 point lead in 1992 and it only translated in a 21 seat majority (they'd received the record number of votes back then as well).

[Kaloki]

I reckon the Tories will end up with about a 50 seat majority.

Young people hardly turn out to vote and polls always seem to underestimate the conservatives

[Artoo]

I reckon the Tories will end up with about a 50 seat majority.

Young people hardly turn out to vote and polls always seem to underestimate the conservatives

Think you're a bit wrong there.

[Kaloki]

I reckon the Tories will end up with about a 50 seat majority.

Young people hardly turn out to vote and polls always seem to underestimate the conservatives

Think you're a bit wrong there.

The statistics on turnout from previous elections show older people are far more likely to vote in elections.

Turnout for 18-24 year olds was estimated at about 40-45% in the 2015 election, whereas was close to 80% for those over 65

For the EU referendum some statistics suggest the turnout difference between the same age groups was even greater - 36% vs 83%

[Wayne]

Voted.

I voted at around 08:45 - similar time to when I voted in the EU referendum. In that vote last year, I queued for more than 5 minutes. In this general election vote, I queued for no longer than 30 seconds. Hopefully not indicative of turnout.

[Wayne]

What happens today?

More than 47 million people are eligible to vote in this general election. In total, there are 650 seats in the governing House of Commons (each representing a constituency) broken down thus...

• England has 533 seats.[/*:m:3b8jggrm]
• Wales has 40 seats.[/*:m:3b8jggrm]
• Scotland has 59 seats.[/*:m:3b8jggrm]
• Northern Ireland has 18 seats.[/*:m:3b8jggrm]

More than 41,000 polling stations have been set up to facilitate voting. In total, 68 different parties are standing across the country with over 3,300 candidates standing.

The first results are due around midnight according to the BBC. To form a majority government (which is the ideal scenario regardless of who you're voting for IMO), a single party needs to win over half of the total seats (i.e. 326 elected Members of Parliament). If they fail to do that, the single biggest party can choose to rule as a minority or ask a smaller party to form a coalition government - or the next 2 biggest parties might choose to form a coalition and rule as a coalition government. Once this part has been established, the ruling party (or parties) will then be invited by Her Majesty The Queen to form a government.

MPs are due back in the Commons next Tuesday with The Queen then due to formally open Parliament on June 19th with The Queen's Speech.

[Biebz]

Voted for the first time!

[SholasBoy]

I still haven't been to vote yet, I really feel like I've hit a brick wall with this one. I have never voted conservative in my life, I've usually gone with either Lib Dem or Labour, though I went with Green on the last one. But I have to say my biggest concern right now in the UK is not the NHS, Minimum wage or taxes, it's our loved ones being butchered in the street and blown up at concerts, and I just don't think Jeremy Corbyn is going to be tough enough on those people in the country that the government know to have links to terrorism.

[hun]

Well the Torys have done a grand job at stopping terrorism

[Biebz]

The number killed due to terrorism in the UK is so minuscule compared to those that are likely to die due to being unable to afford health care

[SholasBoy]

Well the Torys have done a grand job at stopping terrorism

And that's where I'm stuck. I feel inclined to vote Labour, but I don't think I can vote for Corbyn.

[Wayne]

The number killed due to terrorism in the UK is so minuscule compared to those that are likely to die due to being unable to afford health care

But domestic security will ultimately once again be the prevailing factor in people's decision to vote - and this is where the Conservatives will do well. Lastminute.com voters like Shane will likely side with the decisive and harsh stance that the Conservatives take on terrorism [for e.g.] over what Corbyn's Labour stands for [I was dismayed - pun intended - at his stance on Trident and how in effectual his response was during the Question Time leaders program].

And also, biscuits we don't have a clue about terrorism on the Conservatives watch - I wonder how many attacks the security services prevent on a daily basis in relation to what actually makes it through, probably thousands each year. Corbyn's obsession with diplomacy and wanting to talk everything out is a massive turn-off for so many millions of people in the UK who are frightened. And even if actually Trident funding isn't the right thing to do - Corbyn hasn't done a good enough job of convincing people of this.

[hun]

The number killed due to terrorism in the UK is so minuscule compared to those that are likely to die due to being unable to afford health care

Yes true. For me, NHS, education and wages are more important and realistic. These are the things which affect us day to day

[SholasBoy]

The minimum wage thing is a waste of time anyway that always worries me, small businesses can't afford to pay it (or even larger ones) so either hours get cut leading to poorer service and extra pressure on staff , or prices go up and nobody ends up any better off.

[SholasBoy]

So I just did the ISideWith quiz and got:

71% UKip
68% Conservative
61% Labour
61% BNP
58% Lib Dem
47% Green

So that didn't help I also watched the Jeremy Paxman interviews with Corbyn and May and thought both had pros and cons.

[hun]

I got:

77% Lib Dem
74% Green
69% Labour
55% Conservative
51% UKIP

[SholasBoy]

I voted labour in the end, somehow felt morally better even though their stance on immigration and security worries me. I don't think I'm going to be majorly bothered by the result either way, I can already see Facebook keyboard warriors up in arms when Conservative get in again, but I don't really mind that outcome either.

[Robbie]

I voted Labour but unfortunately the Tories are going to win. Which means 5 years of misery and austerity. Ah, well, not to worry

[Artoo]

Daily Mail reporting a landslide victory is due - I thought the media couldn't speculate until polls close?

If it's true it's not unexpected. It would just be nice to once in my voting life see a Labour win

[hun]

The media has been appalling.

[Wayne]

Final YouGov opinion poll predicts hung parliament (The Times, 5 pm today).