Election 2015 live: final votes cast as battle for power looms

By The Guardian

Rolling coverage of the results of the UK general election 2015, including the exit poll, the results as they come in, and all the best reaction, comment and analysis

“They cling on to it like a chalice but I don’t think anybody else is that arsed, to be honest wi’ ye,” said a Sunderland taxi driver of his city’s proud record of being the first to declare a result in every general election since 1992.

 

Within three minutes of the polls closing at 10pm, the first ballot boxes are being sprinted into a vast sports complex three miles from Sunderland city centre. A team of 100 sixth-formers have been recruited from two local schools as runners, delivering the boxes from 121 polling stations across Wearside to 200 well-drilled counters, including local bank tellers hand-picked for their speed and accuracy.

 

The fastest ever declaration was 10.43pm in 2001. In 2010, Houghton and Sunderland South declared at 10.52pm, followed by Washington and Sunderland West at 23.25pm, then Sunderland Central at 11.26pm. They are aiming to beat that this year, aided by lighter ballot papers (80gsm instead of 100gsm) and faster routes through traffic.

 

You can follow live the UK General Election here:

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2015/may/07/election-2015-live-final-votes-cast-as-battle-for-power-looms