BRITAIN VOTES THURSDAY – AT 7:27 P.M. ET:  Britain votes Thursday.  Conservatives have taken the lead in the polls, but are short, so far, of a majority in Parliament.  That would mean a "hung Parliament," and negotiations with another party to form a government.  A mess.

LONDON, April 30 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's faltering election campaign suffered fresh blows on Friday as support for his Labour Party slid in one new poll and leading newspapers came out in support of his rivals.

Opposition Conservative leader David Cameron's campaign was boosted by viewer polls finding him the winner of a televised debate among party leaders on Thursday night, the last before next Thursday's election.

But the increased support for the Liberal Democrats, traditionally Britain's third party, showed no sign of abating, appearing to leave Britain on course for its first parliament with no overall majority since 1974...

...A YouGov poll for the Sun newspaper showed the Conservatives leading on 34 percent with Labour and the Lib Dems tied on 28 percent.

But a Harris poll for Saturday's Daily Mail found support for Labour, which has ruled Britain since 1997, falling to just 24 percent. If repeated next Thursday, it would be Labour's worst election showing since 1918, it said.

The poll put the Conservatives on 33 percent and the Lib Dems on 32 percent. Under Britain's electoral system, which is based solely on the vote in individual constituencies, not proportional representation, the Conservatives would be the largest party but short of a majority in parliament.

COMMENT:  I'm particularly curious as to how President Obama will congratulate the new prime minister, considering his pretty obvious distaste for the Brits.  I'd imagine his message will be:  "I congratulate you on becoming prime minister of your colonialist, imperialist, dying nation, which did so much to oppress my father.  Feel free to visit the White House anytime, and talk to one of the ushers."

I'm serious.

April 30, 2010