Thursday 6 May 2010

Election 2010 - What's on the wireless tonight.

This with a bowler tip to Channel 4 News...

22:00 ITV News, BBC and Sky report the result of the exit polls. Traditionally a strong indicator of the results, the margin for error could be even greater this year.

23:15 Houghton and Sunderland South
Expected to be the first constituency to report, trying to beat the fastest count set in 2005.

00:30 Birmingham Edgbaston
The first key Labour/Conservative marginal expected to declare. The Tories need a 2 per cent swing.

01:00 Battersea
Another key Conservative target, with the party needing a swing of just 0.5 per cent in this Labour marginal.

01:00 Torbay
Lib Dem marginal. The Conservative party is looking for a 3 per cent swing to win back the seat lost in 1997.

01:12 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Gordon Brown's constituency, this is a safe Labour seat with a 43.6 per cent majority over the SNP.

01:50-02:00Thurrock, Batley & Spen and Carlisle
Three Labour seats to watch as the Tories battle for a 6-7 per cent swing in votes.

02:00 Rochdale
A Lib Dem seat targeted by Labour, now infamous for 'bigotgate'.

02:00 Norwich South
The Lib Dems would need a small swing to win this Labour seat, which also has a good strong from the Greens.

02:00 Guildford
A Conservative seat under fire from the Lib Dems, which could nail it with a small swing.

02:13 Burnley
Labour currently hold a near-on 15 per cent majority here, but if a fall to Lib Dems would indicate huge gains for the latter – and a hung parliament for the country.

02:15 Sheffield Hallam
Nick Clegg's constituency.

02:30 Kingswood
The Tories benchmark target, the fall of this Labour seat near Bristol would suggest a Conservative majority.

03:00 Morley and Outwood
Ed Balls' constituency, David Cameron himself campaigned at this Labour seat to rally voters. The Tories need a 10 per cent swing.

03:00 Glasgow North
One to watch as a gauge of Lib Dem performance – they would need a 6 per cent swing to swipe this seat from Labour.

03:00 Luton South
A bellwether for the overall victor, since 1951 the winning party has triumphed here. A win here – where Esther Rantzen is running for the Independents - would signal a Tory majority of 50.

03:06 Chorley
A Labour seat targeted by the Tories, who would need an 8 per cent swing. Who ever has won this seat has won the election since 1964.

03:20 West Dorset
Oliver Letwin could lose this Tory seat to the Lib Dems with a swing of just 2.3 per cent.

03:30 Brighton Pavillion
The Green Party's best chance of securing their first Westminster seat.

03:34 Witney
The Tory leader's constituency, David Cameron holds a 26.8 per cent majority over the Lib Dems.

04:00 Edinburgh South West
Chancellor Alistair Darling’s seat, a fall to the Conservatives would be unlikely in Scotland and would need a swing of 8 per cent.

04:00 Barking
Targetted by the BNP, Nick Griffin is hoping to secure the party's first seat from Labour's Margaret Hodge.

04:00 Islington South
An inner London seat currently held by Labour, but targeted by the Lib Dems.

04:39 Romsey and Southampton North
The Lib Dems currently hold a majority of just 125 over the Tories.

04:45 Poplar and Limehouse
Labour seat being targetted by Respect's George Galloway, who would need a swing of 11 per cent. Housing Canary Wharf and the Docklands, it has also been targeted by the Tories.

05:00 Redditch
Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is fighting to keep her seat. The Tories would need a swing of 2.6 per cent to win.

05:30 Hammersmith
A Tory win over Labour here would show the party is on track to reach Downing Street.

Friday morning
A further 39 constituencies will declare results by 5pm.

14:30 Buckingham
Speaker John Bercow faces a challenge by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

15:00 Morecombe & Lonsdale
The Conservatives need a 5.9 per cent swing to win.

Happy days!