BRITAIN VOTES – AT 8:35 A.M. ET:  The mother country votes today, as her former colonies watch in anticipation.  Last-minute polls still favor the conservatives, but not by enough to prevent a hung Parliament.  The Times of London reports:

A string of election-eve opinion polls gave Mr Cameron's Conservatives a clear lead over Labour and the Liberal Democrats but suggested that they could fall tantalisingly short of an overall majority and would have to form some kind of minority administration.

A Populus poll for The Times put the Tories on 37 per cent with Labour on 28 and the Lib Dems on 27, representing a 6-point swing to the Conservatives. Given the number of three-way contests, the pollsters face an almost impossible task projecting final results but the Populus figures point to the Tories winning an extra 91 seats but falling 25 seats short of a majority.

After a frenetic final 48 hours of campaigning, which saw them criss-cross the country in a whirlwind of rallies and constituency visits, all three main party leaders last night issued appeals to activists to help get the vote out today.

Mr Cameron told cheering supporters in Bristol that it was time for the Tories to “win for Britain”, urging them: “Vote for change. Vote Conservative. Vote to give this country the hope, the optimism and the change we need. Together, we can build a better, stronger country.”

COMMENT:  Britain is a bit unstable right now.  Its economy is debt-ridden and it may go the Greek route if things don't improve.  But I guess it's better than being blitzed by the Nazis.

We'll follow the returns closely today and report.  If Cameron emerges as prime minister, but with a Parliamentary minority, I would hope he'd avoid a coalition with either Labour or the certifiable Liberal Dems, and pick up some of the smaller groups to gain a majority. 

May 6, 2010