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And we're off!

A few hours ago I stood in a short queue before I voted, something I've never had to do at out local polling station. Parents were arriving with children, as though sensing that this was an event worth witnessing, even if they hadn't a clue what exactly they will be witness to by tomorrow morning.

Our best guess?

Here's the exit poll.

Labour - 255 (-94)
Conservative - 307 (+97) (Revised to 305)
Liberal Democrats - 59 (-3) (Revised to 61)
Others - 29 (no change)

In other words: a hung parliament - the Conservatives short by 19 votes of an overall majority.

Be aware - perhaps very aware tonight of all nights - that all polls have a small margin of error, one which could be significant in a tight election like this where the three main Westminster parties have been so close in the opinion polls. And there could be different voting patterns around the country - something I have a feeling you'll be watching out for tonight with Huw Edwards and with me on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳1 Wales.

Keep your comments coming. Give the moderators a busy night and I'll do my best to keep the blog going (when Huw's not looking ...)

UPDATE

22.05

Nick Bourne: "It's just a poll"

Mike German: "That doesn't square with what I've been hearing on the doorsteps"

Leighton Andrews: "Exit polls have been wrong in the past ... I don't think we know much more than what the polls have been suggesting for the past few weeks."

Helen Mary Jones: "Important not to read too much into it. We have different elections going on all over the county ... I am surprised at the Lib Dem figure. Conservative and Labour figures? Feel just about right to me."

UPDATE 22.46

David Cameron says "we can govern with this result" ... Leighton Andrews has a belly laugh.

Neil Kinnock quoted as saying: "we are going to have a very interesting few days ahead of us". Inedible or unpalatable deals? And who gets to do the choosing?

UPDATE 22.59

Suggestions of smiles on Labour faces in Blaenau Gwent - no more than that but hey, suggestions of smiles have their place on election night.

Delve deeper into the exit poll and this is what you find:

a suggestion that Labour may have actually had a swing in its favour in Wales and Scotland.

The Conservative vote is anticipated to unchanged compared to 2005, whilst the Labour vote may be +2.

The Liberal Democrat vote is expected to be -4% down on the last election.

The comparative figures for England are Cons +5, Lab -9, LD +1

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