Britain goes to the polls
By politics.co.uk staff
Britain goes to the polls today as part of the local and European elections – the largest trans-national elections in history.
Analysts are cautious in their predictions, with the storm over MPs expenses and the last few days of chaos around Westminster throwing expectations to the wind.
But there is an assumption that turnout will actually be up this year, against everyone’s expectations.
The expenses scandal is expected to have at least one positive effect – forcing people out to vote as a means of expressing their anger at the main parties.
Smaller parties are expected to be the main beneficiaries, with the Greens performing particularly well in the run up to the vote, and far-right groups possibly making gains.
Speaking this morning, the prime minister’s spokesman said Gordon Brown was in a “determined” mood.
