It has been going on for weeks now. The speculation, the debate, the television and other media coverage. The leaflets stuck through our mailboxes, and people stopping us in the street to hand out propoganda. It has held the centre of conversation amongst friends and at work. Well finally last Thursday it all came to a halt (for us at least) as we casted our votes. Then the news came out yesterday that the Conservatives were leading, but did not have a majority. But then I heard that people who wanted to vote had queued up at the polling booths but were unable to place their vote because of the swams of people arriving after work. The booths closed at 10pm and it wasn’t enough time to process all the people who had turned up after 8pm.
The big question then was whether the liberal democrats would form a coalition with the conservatives? Gordon Brown made a statement to the press yesterday that he is willing to enter discussions with the liberal democrats too. So who knows what will happen. Can you imagine the pressure the libdems must be under now? This reminds me of the past scenarios in New Zealand when NZFirst leader Winston Peters also found himself in a similar position. At the moment the BBC have reported there are protestors in London calling for Nick Clegg, the leader of the democrats. It will be interesting to see what happens next?
Alice Letts 