[harshy]

I am kind of looking forward to getting my motorised dish primed for the satellite feeds not much luck these days though as I only have a 90cm dish.

[itsrobert]

I think it's risky to hold a winter election. Yes, people still go to work obviously, but how many would want to make the extra effort to go and visit a polling station on a dark, cold, wet/icy/snowy morning or evening rather than just go home where it's warm and watch the TV etc? Granted, people interested in politics and/or who feel their civic duty probably would, but the less interested voters, many of whom may be swing voters, might decide not to make the effort.

[Stuart]

I think it's risky to hold a winter election. Yes, people still go to work obviously, but how many would want to make the extra effort to go and visit a polling station on a dark, cold, wet/icy/snowy morning or evening rather than just go home where it's warm and watch the TV etc? Granted, people interested in politics and/or who feel their civic duty probably would, but the less interested voters, many of whom may be swing voters, might decide not to make the effort.

Very little effort is involved in the act of voting. Are people afraid to leave or arrive at work when it is dark in Winter? I don't think so.

Turnout figures seem to indicate otherwise. The media will concentrate on a Winter GE just as much as they do on one in the middle of Summer.

[Milkshake]

Either way we do have an election this coming week, and it will be the first hints at what the presentation should be like for the General.

BBC One has No election programmes next Saturday even thought there is results that day?
ITV is given Saturday Lunchtime and evening news bigger slots?

[all new phil]

Very little effort is involved in the act of voting. Are people afraid to leave or arrive at work when it is dark in Winter? I don't think so.

Five minutes ago you were complaining about having to vote four times in the space of five years.

As pleased as I am for you that leaving home for work in the winter causes you no issues personally, for many people it does, particularly if there is snow or ice. The “barely noticeable difference” in turnout % you described earlier amounts to a good million or so people.