Today Devoted to British Election Results: the Light!

Times Online: "Election latest: David Cameron inflicts worst drubbing in 40 years"

The Conservatives made sweeping gains across the country early today as voters gave Gordon Brown a huge rebuff in his first electoral test as Prime Minister. David Cameron chalked up important successes in the North, the Midlands and the South, securing his top target of Bury in Greater Manchester and taking control of Nuneaton and Bedworth, and Southampton. The Conservatives also took seats in Labour strongholds of Sunderland and Wigan.

Labour suffered one of its worst electoral humiliations, with its national share of the vote dropping to 24 or 25 per cent. The Tory share was projected at 43 or 44 per cent, better than its most optimistic predictions. The margin was similar to the drubbing handed out to John Major in 1995 two years before Tony Blair entered Downing Street. (...) The Tories were heading for total gains of more than 200 seats and Labour’s losses were of a similar order.

The results will put further pressure on Mr Brown’s leadership after a dismal few months. His decision ... >>>

Breakthrough in the North - Tide turns in Wales - Mixed night for Lib Dems - Red Box blog - Analysis - Graphic: the election battlegrounds

Related: Aren't we all dying to know the opines of Polly "neglected-by-the-state" Toynbee and Yasmin "hands-off-Sadam" Alibhai Brown ...?

- Comments Central: "Bogus arguments against Boris", by David Finkelstein

Alongside the hyperventilating of various B listers, today has seen two quite astonishing sets of arguments against Boris Johnson. The first is canvassed by Zoe Williams but was also made earlier by Yasmin Alibhai Brown. It is best summarised by the pay off line of Williams's (incidentally brilliantly done) piece:

We know what London is. Boris is not London.

Who is this "we" that she refers to? And how dare they assume that they know what London is. (...) And I have to say that being lectured by Polly Toynbee that Boris Johnson is too posh is, oh forget it. The second astonishing idea is advanced by ... >>>

Here's an automatically updating Google News link to Boris' election news from London!

Updated:

The Christian Choice: "ITV & BBC Censor London Mayoral Election Broadcastin - In Fear of Radical Islam"

Papers are being filed Tuesday morning at the Royal Courts of Justice after the BBC and ITV instructed London Mayoral Candidate Alan Craig to censor his Party Election Broadcasts aired last Wednesday (23rd April). The two broadcasters demanded that The Christian Choice candidate not criticise radical Islamist group, Tablighi Jamaat, over their plans to build Europe's biggest mosque next to the Olympics site in West Ham. Use of the word 'separatist' was ruled out by both ITV & BBC.

Alan Craig is asking the High Court to ensure the electoral process and freedom of speech is not threatened by fear of Islam. He is calling on the other Mayoral candidates to endorse his concern about political censorship. Commenting ahead of the action against the BBC, Alan Craig said:"Elections are about open discourse and a free exchange of views. The action of the broadcasters closed down democratic discussion and showed the fear of both ITV and the BBC in offending a radical Islamic group. In preventing rational and moderate comment, the BBC and ITV have fuelled the sort of paranoia which extreme groups like the BNP have fed-off in this election." (...) >>>

Related: Articles - Big Bro's Smoke and Mirrors: Media Corruption

- Filed on Articles in "London Calling" -