What Are The Exit Polls Saying? Are There Indications That The Burghers Of Clacton Have Upset The...

[sandyRoe]

...political apple cart?

[anneasquith]

50% turnout,

[naomi24]

Where's Mikey when you need him most?

[sandyRoe]

Only half of those eligible to vote have done so. What does that augur?

[anneasquith]

it would appear 50% for a by election is high ?

[BlackadderV]

50% turnout at a by-election is very respectable indeed. Check previous by-elections.

[Svejk]

If the audience on Question Time(from Clacton)are representative I think Labour will win with a landslide. ;o)

[BlackadderV]

Anyway, why speculate? in a few hours you will get the answer straight from the horse's mouth (with apologies to Sandy's avatar).

[Gromit]

The audiences on 'Question Time' are never representative.

[Gromit]

Turnout in Heywood was 36%.

[BlackadderV]

If it was only 36% then that looks ominous for Labour, but we shall see.

[Svejk]

It's quite surprising, to me, how many people don't vote. Some people say 'they're' all the same.(politicians) Some just have no interest whatsoever. Not saying they should have, I just find it pretty amazing.

[baza]

the 50% that voted were the ones that could write, the other 50% were busy collecting benefits.

[Svejk]

write X ?

[baza]

they thought they had to sign.

[jno]

According to a Labour source, the turnout in Clacton is just over 50%. Ukip are on 59/60%, the Tories are on 23/24/25%, Labour on around 12%, and the Lib Dems well below 5%.

From the Guardian's rolling blog, which you can follow here if you want

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2014/oct/09/clacton-and-heywood-byelection-results-tories-expect-defeat-in-clacton-politics-live-blog

[BlackadderV]

At one time you did have to sign to vote. This was changed in the 19C to enable the illiterate to vote.

[jno]

Labour sources are now privately declaring victory in Heywood.

[Gromit]

Heywood:
// If it was only 36% then that looks ominous for Labour //

Er, No. Labour have won and UKIP are 2,500+ behind in second place.

[ChillDoubt]

Re-count ordered in Heywood & Middleton and there are suggestions that Labour look worried. They may well still go on to win but as the pundits are opining in the Sky News studio, what will this do for Red Ed's credentials as a leader of his party?