No rash moves

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith21982

It’s an extraordinary outcome to an extraordinary election. No party has secured a majority. No party has a mandate to govern. When the last results are in, even a Lib-Lab pact would not make the 326 seat mark needed to govern. And our electoral system, delivery and constitution may each have been shown to be inadequate for our time.

Labour may have performed better in this election than many expected – and there have been a handful of very positive results for the party. After thirteen years in office, and a hateful media, that is testament to the very hard work of many thousands of people across the country.

There will be many issues to address for Gordon Brown and the rest of the party leadership. None can be taken quickly. Some distance from the intense campaign, and a much fuller understanding of where the parties lie and the make up of parliament will be required. Everyone will need to take a breath, gain perspective and consider what happens next. No decisions on government or party should be made rashly or for expedience. Each should be made very carefully, with due thought and time and after some sleep.

I will shortly be going to the local election count in Islington. I will of course be keeping an eye on developments, and will try to blog and tweet where I can. You can see those tweets, and those of some of our other dedicated people, on the right of this page.