The night...

I did the traditional staying-up until victory of an election night last night. For me it was depressingly dull. The first few seats pointed to large LibDem swings, yet there were legions of Labour Holds for the first few holds, which then turned way to Con Holds as the conservative seats started declaring.

A few v. important victories for the LDs, a few annoying setbacks. 10 more seats than last election, 7 more than when the election was called. A watershed it most definitely wasn't.

Howevera piece of Peter Snow analysis brings hope. Before last night the swings to LibDem required for seats to change hands were huge. Now they are manageable. Assuming LDs hold it together, and the Conservatives don't, 2009 should be the breakthrough year :-)

And today we hear Michael Howard will stand down some time in the next 4 years. When Paddy Ashdown said that after an election, if I remember correctly, the LDs top guns went into a phony war period, and so couldn't capitalise on their successes that election. Let's hope they reenter their habitual infighting.