Well, well. Before the election, I thought that the best result would be a Labour government returned with a workable but drastically reduced majority. Difficult to arrange in the UK’s patchwork of constituencies. But now that most of the results are in, it looks as though Labour is back with a majority in the mid-60s. And a BBC analysis this morning reported on Radio 4 that 58 of those Labour MPs who rebelled against the party whip on critical issues have been returned. Given that the British system amounts to legislative dictatorship (in that a Prime Minister with a large majority can do as s/he damn well pleases), this is a terrific outcome. Blair & Co cannot now behave over national security, ID cards etc. with the arrogance that characterised their second term. Interesting times ahead. Yippee!

It’s 2.45am and the TV networks are now predicting that Labour will be returned to power with a majority of 82 (having earlier predicted a majority of 66 on the basis of exit polls). Given the astonishing diversity of the results in most of the key marginal seats declared so far, and the contradictory nature of many of the outcomes, I’m sceptical of any overall prediction. What we’re seeing, I suspect, are the non-linear effects of a three-party contest in a system which has hitherto been accustomed to two-party politics. Anyway, I’m off to bed. We’ll know in the morning.