LIVEBLOG: Election Night 2017

Election night is upon us, and with it the hopes and despairs of a student population emerging from exam gloom.

Follow the Tab’s live coverage as we watch the race for the marginal Cambridge seat, giving you reactions to the local and national picture in real time. We’ll be based at the Cambridge Union throughout the night, where an all-nighter party is being hosted. Cambridge will be a constituency to watch – there were only 599 votes between the winner, Daniel Zeichner (Labour), and the runner up, Julian Huppert (Lib Dem) in 2015. To refresh your memory, take a look at our guide to the Cambridge candidates for 2017.

Got any election news you want to spill? Have some strong opinions your want to air? Hot gossip that just needs to be told?

Contact us via [email protected] or message us via our Facebook page.

Liveblog

03:33

Ukip leader Paul Nuttall has lost 26.1% of the vote in his constituency Boston and Skegness with the Conservatives up 19.8%. Ukip are through the looking glass now.

03:29

Union chamber wouldn’t stay quiet for Theresa May’s speech. Lots of boos and bustle. None of us could make out most of what she said.

03:19

Theresa May speaks following her unsurprising re-election as MP for Maidenhead.

03:15 

Corbyn wins North Islington seat, provoking an outcry of applause in the Union Chamber.

03:03

At 3 in the morning we can confirm that Cambridge HAS RE-ELETED Daniel Zeichner as Labour MP for Cambridge

Jack says ‘Zeichner’s re-election with 51% of the vote marks Cambridge becoming a safe seat. It also signals a major shift towards Labour in this general election. A hung parliament is seeming increasingly likely, but it really is still up in the air.’

02:55

Vince Cable regains seat. Much jubilation.

02:51

Some pretty ugly taunts during Nick Clegg’s speech. Hardly compassionate socialism.

02:46

Nick Clegg loses his seat to Labour. Huge reaction in the Union chamber.

02:42

Big cheers for the Scottish Lib Dems in Dunbartonshrie East where they gain from SNP.

02:39 

Paul Masterson, winner of Renfrewshire East looks like his mother still picks his clothes.

02:35

RECOUNTS: Tim Farron’s seat and in Canterbury

02:31

Lord Ashcroft: “Conservative Scots could save party”

02:30

Heidi Allen re-elected in South Cambridgeshire for the Tories.

02:28

Current Results

02:27

Bury North goes to Labour. Tories doing poorly in the north.

02:26

Tories smash Scotland with a 16% swing.

02:25

Jack says “the atmosphere in the Union chamber is ecstatic. People seem to like Corbyn, hate May, and love above all else the collapse of the status quo.”

02:22

Labour hold Great Grimsby in a strong performance in the north.

02:18

Angus Robertson unseated by Tory Douglas Ross in Moray. Leader of the SNP in Westminster, big loss for Scotland’s nationalists.

02:09 

Boos all round for BoJo in the Union chamber.

02:02

Battersea goes Red, chamber goes wild. It was a projected gain, but the margin is far larger than expected. Tab Editor without Portfolio Jack Benda told the Tab: ‘10% swing – we are seeing a major shift here. The Tories should be very concerned; it’s beginning to look a lot like a hung parliament’

2:00

Nigel Farage on screen [chamber boos]

1:56

“Haha Theresa May is a prick” says Louis Slater, Labour supporter (you surprised?)

1:52

The editor went to take a piss

01:48

Jeremy Vine is back on the map. All drink.

01:46

A large 10% swing to Labour in Putney, but they miss out on another gain. Tories Hold.

01:40

Labour gains Vale of Clwyd! The first Labour gain of the night. Is it too soon to call Jezza for PM?

01:36

So far we’ve had 1% swing from Labour to Tory. Scotland and Wales look pivotal. Here come’s Vale of Clwyd

01:23

Union chamber remains busy, as a surge of votes come in.

01:02

Some socialist refreshment.

00:59

Paddy Power putting odds of a second general election this year at 7/4

00:38

Analysis from the Beeb: Nick Robinson predicts the Tories have lost South Battersea.

00:31

Reports coming in that Magdalene porters have proceeded to bin Labour posters from the JCR.

00:22

Some fresh analysis from Jack on Theresa May: “‘Twitter is lighting up with people taking the mick out of Theresa May’s “if I lose just 6 seats” tweet from the 20th of May. Everyone is sharpening their anti-MayBot knives”

00:21

LABOUR GAINS IN LONDON

00:20

CHUNDER-NOUNCEMENT: Someone found the election a little too taxing and managed to throw up all over the Union corridor.

#messy

00:17

Former Tab Editor Luke Heppenstall-West jubilantly declared: “I am ecstatic and more hopeful than I have been for a long time, I came here expecting the worst , a win would be the exit poll being as close to reality as possible”

00:14

Former TCS editor and Westminster hack Jack May suggests that the days of strong and stable leadership through the wheat field are coming to an end.

00:12

BBC: “Not a coalition of chaos, just chaos”

00:11

More humour from Armando Iannucci

00:07

Farage speaks out on UKIP’s collapse:

MIDNIGHT

Jack’s take: ”the Tories have been focusing on the north this election. This loss of votes and big Labour swing in Newcastle east sets a precedent for Tory losses across the north”

23:59

11% swing to Labour in Swindon North. Jack says: ”unsurprising result in swindon north – just a consolidation of Tory votes in line with the fall of UKIP, however, again we see a closing gap between Labour and the Tories. This election is going to keep tight”

23:58

Labour sweep Newcastle East

23:56

May was much more content running through fields of wheat.

23:54

Cambridge alum Ben Corbyn not let in to Islington North count.

23:53

A little bit of humour from the Guardian politics team.

23:52

BREAKING: Union charging £9 for a double G&T. Holly is unimpressed

23:50

George Osborne looking extremely happy with himself:

23:49

23:47

SUNDERLAND CENTRAL: 5% swing to the Tories in Sunderland Central. Labour’s majority shaved to 9,000

23:45

Young voters getting out in force.

23:44

The Exit Poll may in fact be right.

23:40

Further update on the exit poll situation:

23:39

23:38

Jack is back with more analysis: “the Telegraph cited Cambridge as a seminal seat in this election, and a Labour victory here could suggest a huge shift in the electorate. It is still unclear as to whether the exit poll is going to prove accurate”.

23:36

Peter Kellner has suggested that if the rest of the results deviate from the exit poll as much as in Newcastle and Sunderland there will be a Tory Majority of 80-100 seats.

23:32

CAMBRIDGE ANNOUNCEMENT: BBC Correspondent suggests that a “Lib dem surge won’t happen”. She claimed that “the student vote is absolutely key” representing “13,000 votes” and that “They have come out for Daniel Zeichner”. Apparently “Labour will squeak it in Cambridge”.

23:31

There has been a rebound in Sterling.

23:30

23:29

CCHQ has claimed that Tory Remainers are staying at home.

23:27

Full Sunderland results (Turnout up 4%):

23:25

Selwyn alum (and former Varsity editor) Robert Harris adds some comic relief to the tough issue of Brexit:

23:22

George Osborne has claimed that Theresa May’s position may be untenable: “Clearly if she’s got a worse result than two years ago and is almost unable to form a government then she I doubt will survive in the long term as Conservative party leader.”

23:21

Jack has been following Twitter closely and has said: ”Twitter is blowing up with demands for Theresa May to resign. This election is increasingly looking like a gamble that’s backfired massively”

23:20

Andrew Neil from the Daily Politics weighs in:

23:18

23:16

There was a 9% disparity between the exit poll and the actual result in Sunderland.

23:14

According to senior Tory sources the exit poll ‘just doesn’t add up’

23:13 

23:12

The Conservatives have gained nearly 5,000 votes in Houghton and Sunderland South and Labour have gained just over

3,000. According to Jack’s analysis, this suggests that the Tories are going to mop up UKIP’s dwindling support. They are ‘a spent force’

23:08

Bear in mind that the exit poll doesn’t include postal votes. 25% of total .

23:06

UKIP have lost 3,732 votes in Newcastle Central

23:05

Chair of Cambridge LibDems, Will Short, has stated: ‘The Lib Dems are back as the undisputed third party”.

23:03

Turns out that’s a 2.1 % swing from Conservative to Labour in Newcastle Central.

23:01

Newcastle Central announced: Labour hold. Huge cheers from the Chamber.

22:54

The Tab’s Jack Benda says, ‘This will start to get interesting at around 12.30 when Kettering is announced, which will indicate how many UKIP voters have defected to the Tories. Then we’ll get a taste for the actual outcome.’

22:52

The Daily Mirror is already asking if Theresa May will quit.

22:51

Progressive alliance idea has blossomed for a full fifty minutes, and then died an untimely death.

Barry Gardiner, the shadow secretary of state for trade, has stated that if Labour win the most seats they will try to govern as a minority government.

22:50

Great stuff from Varsity here! Cambridge votes getting counted.

22:47

The creator of The Thick of It becomes subject of envy of the Tab liveblog team.

22:45

James Wharton (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for International Development) and Anna Soubry (prominent backbencher) predicted to lose their seats.

22:40

Interesting reports that the Tories are doing well in Scotland, but not as well as they had anticipated in England. Corbyn-related surge?

22:38

Warnings circulating – don’t get your hopes up. Tories were predicted to win 316 seats in 2015 but actually won 330. Similar story for 1992 Major win. Worth remembering, additionally, the caveat that exit polls do not take into account the final hour of voting.

22:35

We are hearing reports that Amber Rudd, current Home Secretary, is at serious risk of losing her seat in Hastings.

22:33

Reactions to the exit poll in the Union:

Edith Franklin, Trinity College: “If you run in wheat fields, it’s karma”

Sam Longton, Peterhouse, CUSU/Union and rising BNOC:  “uncertain times lie ahead.” Sam was asked for three words to describe his feelings, and characteristically over-compensated. Thanks for always giving 110%, Sam.

22:25

Alex Salmond and Angus Robertson are at serious risk of losing their seats. SNP weak and wobbly?

22:16

Pound starts to plummet, dropping 3% of its value in the last ten minutes.

Credit: IG/Bloomberg

22:13

Number 5 BNOC Tom Wang has entered the building. Briefly distracts the audience from the election at hand.

22:10

Some confusion in the chamber as to whether the exit poll will materialise. Tories in despair, Labourites living in hope.

22:00

EXIT POLL IN:

Conservatives the largest party, without an overall majority.

314 Conservative sears, 266 Labour, 34 SNP, 14 Lib Dem, 3 Plaid Cymru, 1 Green, 0 UKIP.

Reaction from the chamber broadly positive.

21:55

Gird your loins, one and all, for the first nail in the coffin – exit poll in 5 mins.

21:50

Just in – report from Labour volunteer in Tooting, Sadiq Khan’s old seat and key Tory target, privately saying that they think they have lost the seat.

Similar concerns in other Labour heartlands.

21:35

Looks like it’s gonna be ‘edge of your seat’ kind of stuff tonight. Betfair have predicted the following:

93% chance of Conservative victory

7% chance of Labour victory

<1% chance of Lib Dem victory

<1% chance of UKIP victory

21:15

In a last-pitch bid for a Labour victory in Cambridge, a bunch of Zeichner leaflets have been scattered on the doorstep of the Union, only for all of them to be blown away by a gust of wind. Ominous foreshadowing of the night to come? ):

20:20

Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, ex-Pembroke master and a trustee of the Union (where we’re liveblogging right now!), has appeared on the front page of The Telegraph today, criticising Corbyn as a Prime Minister who would be “profoundly dangerous.”

20:10

Worried you’ll have nothing learnéd to say whilst you’re sat in the Union, conversing with people who are actually clued up on politics because they didn’t delete the BBC News App when they ran out of storage on their phones? Never fear, dear readers, for the Tab has compiled a list of wanky things to throw casually into such conversations to assert your reputation as A Very Knowledgeable Political Heavyweight:

“We really need to reconceptualise the methodological basis of British polling.”

“God, Cambridge’s social media bubble is absolutely impenetrable.” *as you update your profile picture to include an ‘I’m Voting Labour’ banner*

“fdkjdsjkknxgDISCOURSEdnkjdfjngfg”

A reference to the concept of the metropolitan elite, totally lacking in even a whiff of self-awareness.

“Whatever happened to Vince Cable?”

Any lamentation of the state of youth turnout, in spite of the fact that you forgot to register for a postal vote in time.

“The centre cannot hold, after all.” (deploy at 10pm)

19.30

The Tab publishes Election Night Liveblog – total game changer of similar journalistic magnitude to the Panama Papers. The entire course of the election turned on its head. Seminal moment.

09.00 – 19.00

BLANKET VIRTUE-SIGNALLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. No further news.

Enjoy some wholesome content to alleviate the soul-crushing prospect of the night ahead.