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skin-vector action-view"> <div id="mw-page-base" class="noprint"></div> <div id="mw-head-base" class="noprint"></div> <div id="content" class="mw-body" role="main"> <a id="top"></a> <div id="siteNotice"></div> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading" lang="en">Pre–election day events of the United Kingdom general election, 2005</h1> <div id="bodyContent" class="mw-body-content"> <div id="siteSub">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> <div id="contentSub"><span class="mw-redirectedfrom"> (Redirected from <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre-election-day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&redirect=no" title="Pre-election-day events of the United Kingdom general election, 2005">Pre-election-day events of the United Kingdom general election, 2005</a>)</span></div> <div id="jump-to-nav" class="mw-jump"> Jump to: <a href="#mw-head">navigation</a>, <a href="#p-search">search</a> </div> <div id="mw-content-text" lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr"><table class="metadata plainlinks ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"> <div style="width:52px"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" width="50" height="39" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="262" data-file-height="204"/></a></div> </td> <td class="mbox-text"><span class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>. <span class="hide-when-compact">Please help <a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit">improve this article</a> by <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Introduction_to_referencing/1" title="Help:Introduction to referencing/1">adding citations to reliable sources</a>. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.</span> <small><i>(April 2010)</i></small></span></td> </tr> </table> <p>These are the activities that were undertaken by the candidates and their political parties in the lead up to the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005">United Kingdom general election, 2005</a>.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width:402px;"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png" class="image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png/400px-UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png" width="400" height="272" class="thumbimage" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png/600px-UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png 2x" data-file-width="736" data-file-height="500"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UKGeneralElection2005Graph.png" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div> Graph showing the averaged results of polls leading up to the election</div> </div> </div> <p></p> <div id="toc" class="toc"> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> </div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Events_prior_to_the_announcement_of_the_election"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Events prior to the announcement of the election</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="#Labour_election_poster_controversy"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Labour election poster controversy</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Margaret_Dixon_NHS_case"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Margaret Dixon NHS case</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="#Howard_Flight"><span class="tocnumber">1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Howard Flight</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="#Security_and_integrity_of_the_ballot"><span class="tocnumber">1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Security and integrity of the ballot</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="#Events_around_the_announcement_of_the_general_election"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Events around the announcement of the general election</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#The_election_date"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">The election date</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="#The_election_announcement"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">The election announcement</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="#Campaign_events_between_date_of_announcement_and_election_day"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Campaign events between date of announcement and election day</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="#Ed_Matts"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Ed Matts</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="#Closure_of_MG_Rover_plant_in_Longbridge"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Closure of MG Rover plant in Longbridge</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="#Birth_of_Charles_Kennedy.27s_son"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Birth of Charles Kennedy's son</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="#Party_defections"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Party defections</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="#Publication_of_Attorney_General.27s_Advice_on_Iraq_War"><span class="tocnumber">3.5</span> <span class="toctext">Publication of Attorney General's Advice on Iraq War</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="#Party_Leaders_on_BBC_Question_Time"><span class="tocnumber">3.6</span> <span class="toctext">Party Leaders on BBC Question Time</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16"><a href="#Death_of_Jo_Harrison"><span class="tocnumber">3.7</span> <span class="toctext">Death of Jo Harrison</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17"><a href="#Hounslow_electoral_register"><span class="tocnumber">3.8</span> <span class="toctext">Hounslow electoral register</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18"><a href="#Opinion_polls"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Opinion polls</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19"><a href="#Targets"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Targets</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-21"><a href="#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li> </ul> </div> <p></p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Events_prior_to_the_announcement_of_the_election">Events prior to the announcement of the election</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Events prior to the announcement of the election">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Labour_election_poster_controversy">Labour election poster controversy</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Labour election poster controversy">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>In the run-up to the election, the Labour Party circulated posters it was considering using in the campaign to the subscribers of its email contact list. One of these, which was intended to support Labour accusations that the Conservatives had not fully costed their economic policies, featured the slogan "the day the Tory sums add up" together with images of flying pigs featuring the faces of the Conservative leader <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Howard" title="Michael Howard">Michael Howard</a> and Treasury spokesman <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Letwin" title="Oliver Letwin">Oliver Letwin</a>. Both Howard and Letwin are <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew" title="Jew" class="mw-redirect">Jewish</a>, and the Labour Party was accused of encouraging <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Semitism" title="Anti-Semitism" class="mw-redirect">anti-Semitism</a>; the Labour Party denied any such implication, but withdrew the posters.</p> <p>A separate poster depicted Howard as a <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnotism" title="Hypnotism" class="mw-redirect">hypnotist</a> with a watch on a chain, and the caption "I can spend the same money twice"; this was seen by some Conservatives as a depiction of either <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shylock_(Shakespeare)" title="Shylock (Shakespeare)" class="mw-redirect">Shylock</a> from the <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_of_Venice" title="Merchant of Venice" class="mw-redirect">Merchant of Venice</a></i>, or <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fagin" title="Fagin">Fagin</a> from <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist" title="Oliver Twist">Oliver Twist</a>, and in either case therefore similarly anti-Semitic. The Labour Party said the poster was intended to remind voters of the character of incompetent fictional hypnotist "Kenny Craig" from the television comedy <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Britain" title="Little Britain">Little Britain</a></i>.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Margaret_Dixon_NHS_case">Margaret Dixon NHS case</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Margaret Dixon NHS case">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Another prominent feature of the pre-campaign was what journalists dubbed 'The Battle of Margaret's Shoulder', in which the Conservatives highlighted the case of Margaret Dixon, a pensioner whose shoulder operation had been cancelled seven times. She had written to the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_State_for_Health" title="Secretary of State for Health">Health Secretary</a> <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Reid_(UK_politician)" title="John Reid (UK politician)" class="mw-redirect">Dr. John Reid</a> about her situation, but he had not replied, and so she looked to <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Howard" title="Michael Howard">Michael Howard</a> and the opposition party for help, who readily seized the opportunity to highlight a failing of the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Health_Service" title="National Health Service">National Health Service</a>. Soon after the matter was brought to national attention Mrs Dixon finally had her operation, but damage had been done.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Howard_Flight">Howard Flight</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Howard Flight">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>On 24 March 2005, <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times" title="The Times">The Times</a></i> printed extracts from a tape recording made at a meeting of the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Way_Forward" title="Conservative Way Forward">Conservative Way Forward</a> group in which <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Flight" title="Howard Flight">Howard Flight</a>, then Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, said that there was room for a Conservative government to make further savings on public expenditure than it was promising in its election campaign, and that the cuts that had been chosen to commit to were selected based on those that were more "politically acceptable". Flight's comments were used by the Labour Party in an attempt to justify its claims that the Conservatives were planning to substantially cut government services, which had been greeted with scepticism by the media, and Flight immediately resigned his post, eventually to have the Conservative whip withdrawn and his candidacy as Conservative MP for his seat blocked. It later emerged that the tape recording had been made by a Labour Party member who had somehow attended the meeting, giving rise to Conservative allegations that Labour was using illicit tactics.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Security_and_integrity_of_the_ballot">Security and integrity of the ballot</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Security and integrity of the ballot">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Britons_urged_not_to_vote_by_post" class="extiw" title="wikinews:Britons urged not to vote by post">Britons urged not to vote by post</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width:222px;"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg/220px-Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg" width="220" height="146" class="thumbimage" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg/330px-Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg/440px-Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1760" data-file-height="1168"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hustings_Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_20050204.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div> A pre-election <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husting" title="Husting">husting</a> at the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_West_and_Abingdon_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Oxford West and Abingdon (UK Parliament constituency)">Oxford West and Abingdon</a> constituency, England.</div> </div> </div> <p>The period immediately before the 2005 general election has seen increased concern about the integrity of the electoral system in Britain.</p> <p><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_voting" title="Postal voting">Postal voting</a> has been permitted in United Kingdom elections since 1918. In 2001, after a recommendation by the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Office" title="Home Office">Home Office</a> Working Party on Electoral Procedures, the government with the support of the other parties changed the law so that applicants for a postal vote no longer had to state a reason why they were unable to vote in person, so making postal voting available "on demand".</p> <p>On 4 April 2005, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mawrey" title="Richard Mawrey">Richard Mawrey QC</a> (sitting as a judge in an <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Court" title="Election Court" class="mw-redirect">Election Court</a>) declared the result of two <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_(politics)" title="Ward (politics)" class="mw-redirect">wards</a> in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham" title="Birmingham">Birmingham</a> from the 2004 local elections there void by reason of "widespread <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_fraud" title="Electoral fraud">fraud</a>" in postal voting committed by the successful Labour candidates. Other local cases, most notably in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford" title="Bradford">Bradford</a>, have seen accusations of postal voting frauds committed by other parties.</p> <p>Mawrey stated that he found the system of postal voting to be insecure, and expressed his concerns about whether the government was intending to prevent fraud. <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Raynsford" title="Nick Raynsford">Nick Raynsford</a>, a Minister in the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_the_Deputy_Prime_Minister" title="Office of the Deputy Prime Minister" class="mw-redirect">Office of the Deputy Prime Minister</a>, told Parliament that the government would commit £10 million to improving postal ballot security.</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Events_around_the_announcement_of_the_general_election">Events around the announcement of the general election</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Events around the announcement of the general election">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="The_election_date">The election date</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: The election date">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Until the introduction of the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-term_Parliaments_Act_2011" title="Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011">Fixed-term Parliaments Act</a> in 2011, the dates for general elections in the United Kingdom were not fixed, being instead set by the government with a minimum notice of 17 working days, the length of a general election campaign. The only legal limitation, under the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_Act_1911" title="Parliament Act 1911">Parliament Act 1911</a>, was that Parliament could not last longer than five years. As the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2001" title="United Kingdom general election, 2001">previous general election</a> was held on 7 June 2001, another election was not required until 7 June 2006. However, governments with safe majorities in the House of Commons sometimes called elections early when seeking a mandate for a change in policy, if they feared that holding the election later would adversely affect their chances of winning or if they wished to benefit from a period of weak support for the opposition. It was thus usual practice for Prime Ministers to "go to the country for a renewed mandate" (call a general election) some time after the fourth anniversary of the previous election. The Prime Minister's announcement on 5 April 2005 that the election would be held on 5 May 2005 meant that the government would be returning to the poll slightly under four years into the parliamentary term, although the previous election had been delayed by a month to take account of the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_UK_foot_and_mouth_crisis" title="2001 UK foot and mouth crisis" class="mw-redirect">foot and mouth crisis</a>.</p> <p>The date of 5 May coincided with the date set for <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_in_the_United_Kingdom#Elections" title="Local government in the United Kingdom">local elections</a> for <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_council" title="County council">county councils</a> in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England" title="England">England</a> and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Councils_in_Northern_Ireland" title="Local Councils in Northern Ireland" class="mw-redirect">local councils</a> in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland" title="Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</a>. The latter had originally been scheduled to take place on 18 May but were brought forward by <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Office" title="Northern Ireland Office">Northern Ireland Office</a> ministers,<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> adding to the speculation surrounding the 5 May date. The date was suggested on 24 November 2004 by the British newspaper <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sun_(newspaper)" title="The Sun (newspaper)" class="mw-redirect">The Sun</a></i>. The political editor of <i>The Sun</i>, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Kavanagh" title="Trevor Kavanagh">Trevor Kavanagh</a>, seen by many as "Mr Blair's voice in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Street" title="Fleet Street">Fleet Street</a>", had correctly 'predicted' the date of the 2001 general election for 7 June 2001 (which, similarly, was also the same date as local elections in England and Northern Ireland for that year).</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="The_election_announcement">The election announcement</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: The election announcement">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/UK_Prime_Minister_sets_2005_General_Election_date" class="extiw" title="wikinews:UK Prime Minister sets 2005 General Election date">UK Prime Minister sets 2005 General Election date</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <p>The date of the general election had been trailed by the news media for weeks. On 5 April 2005, Blair went to <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckingham_Palace" title="Buckingham Palace">Buckingham Palace</a> to ask <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom" class="mw-redirect">Queen Elizabeth II</a> for the dissolution of Parliament. The announcement had been expected on 4 April but after the death of <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II" title="Pope John Paul II">Pope John Paul II</a> on 2 April the announcement was delayed by a day as a mark of respect. Instead of campaigning (as was presumably originally planned), Tony Blair attended <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespers" title="Vespers">Vespers</a> in memory of the Pope at <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Cathedral" title="Westminster Cathedral">Westminster Cathedral</a> on 4 April.</p> <p>Normal convention dictates that the Prime Minister visits the Queen at <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckingham_Palace" title="Buckingham Palace">Buckingham Palace</a>, then makes a formal announcement that the Queen has granted a dissolution, before formally announcing the date of the election at an event later in the day. However, the first person to speak about the election was the Leader of the Opposition, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Howard" title="Michael Howard">Michael Howard</a> (Conservative), followed soon afterwards by <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kennedy" title="Charles Kennedy">Charles Kennedy</a> (Liberal Democrat), when they both launched their official campaigns.</p> <p>Following his visit to Buckingham Palace, Blair returned to <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downing_Street" title="Downing Street">Downing Street</a> to make the formal announcement of the calling of the election. With the session of Parliament being shortened, the government needed the co-operation of the opposition parties in order to pass its legislation. This meant that many Bills under review were scrapped, including national <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_document" title="Identity document">identity cards</a>, and a ban on the sale of <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_mushroom" title="Psychedelic mushroom" class="mw-redirect">psychedelic mushrooms</a>. Others were drastically scaled back in order to gain the acceptance of the opposition: a major crime bill passed without a clause criminalizing "incitement to religious hatred", and the proposal to allow <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino" title="Casino">super-casinos</a> was passed but with a restriction that permits only one to go ahead, instead of the eight that had most recently been proposed.</p> <p>The last session of Parliament was prorogued by the Lords Commissioners on behalf of the Queen on 7 April, after Royal Assent had been given to all the Acts passed in the last few days of the Parliament. The prorogation stated that a new session would be opened on 14 April but in practice this will not happen as the present Parliament will be dissolved on 11 April (it is a formality that Parliament is not prorogued without setting a time when it will meet again). In practice the new Parliament will be summoned on 11 May for the election of a Speaker and the swearing-in of Members, and will be formally opened on 17 May by the Queen.</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Campaign_events_between_date_of_announcement_and_election_day">Campaign events between date of announcement and election day</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Campaign events between date of announcement and election day">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>The election was announced on 5 April 2005 and the election is to be held on 5 May 2005.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Ed_Matts">Ed Matts</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Ed Matts">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Tory_candidate_in_election_gaffe" class="extiw" title="wikinews:Tory candidate in election gaffe">Tory candidate in election gaffe</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <p>Soon after the election was called, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ed_Matts&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ed Matts (page does not exist)">Ed Matts</a>, Conservative candidate for the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dorset_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="South Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)">South Dorset</a> constituency, was forced to apologise for the manipulation of a photograph from a rally campaigning against the deportation of <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda" title="Uganda">Ugandan</a> <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asylum_seeker" title="Asylum seeker" class="mw-redirect">asylum seekers</a> from <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weymouth,_Dorset" title="Weymouth, Dorset">Weymouth</a>. The original posters consisted of a picture of the family and the slogan 'Let Them Stay', but these were changed to 'Controlled Immigration' and 'NOT Chaos and Inhumanity' respectively. The second poster in each case was held by <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Widdecombe" title="Ann Widdecombe">Ann Widdecombe</a>, a former Shadow Home Secretary. The photographs made the front page of <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times" title="The Times">The Times</a></i>. Ed Matts has since been forced to apologise for a false claim that current MP <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Knight" title="Jim Knight">Jim Knight</a>, who holds the smallest Labour majority in the UK, had supported the closure of a local school, and for the use of two <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games" title="Olympic Games">Olympic</a> <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing" title="Sailing">sailors</a> in campaign literature without the permission of the sailors (both of whom support Labour).</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Closure_of_MG_Rover_plant_in_Longbridge">Closure of MG Rover plant in Longbridge</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Closure of MG Rover plant in Longbridge">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Last_British_volume_car_manufacturer_closes_down" class="extiw" title="wikinews:Last British volume car manufacturer closes down">Last British volume car manufacturer closes down</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <p>On 7 April the car company <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Rover" title="MG Rover" class="mw-redirect">MG Rover</a> halted production at its plant in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longbridge" title="Longbridge">Longbridge</a>, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham" title="Birmingham">Birmingham</a>, due to financial problems and the company was put into <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_(insolvency)" title="Administration (insolvency)" class="mw-redirect">administration</a>. The government attempted to broker a deal with <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China" title="China">Chinese</a> firm <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Automotive" title="Shanghai Automotive" class="mw-redirect">Shanghai Automotive</a> to continue the firms' strategic alliance and buy Rover out. However, talks were unsuccessful and on 12 April the administrators, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_Waterhouse_Coopers" title="Price Waterhouse Coopers" class="mw-redirect">Price Waterhouse Coopers</a>, announced that production would be wound up, the plant and its assets sold and almost all of the plant's staff made <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redundancy_(law)" title="Redundancy (law)" class="mw-redirect">redundant</a>. Around 5,000 jobs will be lost at Longbridge, and many more jobs in local companies and dealerships throughout the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK" title="UK" class="mw-redirect">UK</a> that had supplied the firm are at risk. Many of Birmingham's seats are currently Labour-held, but also quite marginal.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Birth_of_Charles_Kennedy.27s_son">Birth of Charles Kennedy's son</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Birth of Charles Kennedy's son">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrat_Party_pauses_to_welcome_Donald_James_Kennedy" class="extiw" title="wikinews:Liberal Democrat Party pauses to welcome Donald James Kennedy">Liberal Democrat Party pauses to welcome Donald James Kennedy</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <p>The leader of the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">Liberal Democrats</a>, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kennedy" title="Charles Kennedy">Charles Kennedy</a>, became a father on 12 April. The Liberal Democrat <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifesto" title="Manifesto">manifesto</a> launch was delayed when Kennedy's wife, Sarah, went into hospital on 11 April. The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menzies_Campbell" title="Menzies Campbell">Sir Menzies Campbell</a>, took over Kennedy's campaign role in the meantime.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Party_defections">Party defections</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Party defections">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Marsden" title="Paul Marsden">Paul Marsden</a>, the outgoing MP for <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrewsbury_and_Atcham_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Shrewsbury and Atcham (UK Parliament constituency)">Shrewsbury and Atcham</a>, announced within hours of the dissolution of Parliament that he was seeking to rejoin the Labour Party and reverse his earlier defection from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in protest at the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001%E2%80%93present)" title="War in Afghanistan (2001–present)">2001 invasion of Afghanistan</a>. Meanwhile, Labour's <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sedgemore" title="Brian Sedgemore">Brian Sedgemore</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackney_South_and_Shoreditch_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Hackney South and Shoreditch (UK Parliament constituency)">Hackney South and Shoreditch</a>), another MP stepping down at the election and a long-time critic of Tony Blair, left the party for the Liberal Democrats on 25 April in protest at Labour's policies on <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq" title="Iraq">Iraq</a>, anti-terrorism laws and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top-up_fees" title="Top-up fees" class="mw-redirect">top-up fees</a>.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Publication_of_Attorney_General.27s_Advice_on_Iraq_War">Publication of Attorney General's Advice on Iraq War</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Publication of Attorney General's Advice on Iraq War">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>After the summary of the document was comprehensively leaked to <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_4_News" title="Channel 4 News">Channel 4 News</a></i> and <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian" title="The Guardian">The Guardian</a></i>, the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attorney_General_of_England_and_Wales" title="Attorney General of England and Wales" class="mw-redirect">Attorney General</a> <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Goldsmith" title="Peter Goldsmith" class="mw-redirect">Lord Goldsmith</a>'s advice of 7 March 2003, on the legality of the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq" title="2003 invasion of Iraq">2003 invasion of Iraq</a> was published in full. Opponents of the war had campaigned for the advice to be made public for some time, with many speculating that the government's reluctance to do so indicated that Goldsmith had advised that war would be illegal.</p> <p>The real situation was complicated. Lord Goldsmith had concluded that <i>"the safest legal course would be to secure the adoption of a further resolution"</i> from the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a> <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council" title="United Nations Security Council">Security Council</a>. Without such a resolution, in Goldsmith's opinion, invasion would still be legal under past resolutions <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Security_Council_Resolution_678" title="UN Security Council Resolution 678" class="mw-redirect">678</a> and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Security_Council_Resolution_1441" title="UN Security Council Resolution 1441" class="mw-redirect">1441</a>, if it could be proven that there were <i>"strong factual grounds for concluding that Iraq has failed to take the final opportunity. In other words, we would need to be able to demonstrate hard evidence of non-compliance and non-cooperation"</i> on the matter of Iraq's <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapons_of_mass_destruction" title="Weapons of mass destruction" class="mw-redirect">weapons of mass destruction</a>.</p> <p>Blair played down the importance of the advice's publication, remarking "This so-called smoking gun has turned out to be a damp squib", as it affirmed the legality of military action. Opponents of the Iraq war including Charles Kennedy, contrasted the contingent, caveat-laden advice in the document with the Attorney General's statement to the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_House_of_Commons" title="British House of Commons" class="mw-redirect">House of Commons</a> ten days later on 17 March 2003, which stated that military action would be lawful, with no similar caveats. They speculated that the Attorney-General had been pressured by the Prime Minister to change his mind. The government denied that the Attorney-General had changed his views, stating that what had happened was that the circumstances outlined on 7 March which would make war legal had in fact occurred.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Party_Leaders_on_BBC_Question_Time">Party Leaders on BBC Question Time</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Party Leaders on BBC Question Time">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/UK_Party_leaders_questioned_on_BBC_%27Question_Time%27" class="extiw" title="wikinews:UK Party leaders questioned on BBC 'Question Time'">UK Party leaders questioned on BBC 'Question Time'</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <p>On 28 April the leaders of the three main political parties appeared on the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC" title="BBC">BBC</a>'s <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Question_Time_(television)" title="Question Time (television)" class="mw-redirect">Question Time</a></i> programme. Each faced half an hour of questions from the audience in turn, but did not engage in direct debate with each other; while Conservative leader Michael Howard was keen for such a debate to take place, Tony Blair refused to participate. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3750328.stm">[1]</a> The programme's format was agreed upon as a compromise.</p> <p>The programme attracted 4.1 million viewers. One common issue for all three leaders was the war in Iraq, though all three discussed other topics as well. Charles Kennedy was quizzed on his party's plans for replacing <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_tax" title="Council tax" class="mw-redirect">council tax</a>, Michael Howard was confronted on his party's tough stance on <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_Kingdom" title="Immigration to the United Kingdom" class="mw-redirect">immigration</a>, and Tony Blair was challenged on the use of targets in the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Health_Service" title="National Health Service">National Health Service</a>, such as the 48-hour targets for <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Practitioner" title="General Practitioner" class="mw-redirect">GPs</a> to see patients. This last issue in particular was dealt with in more detail during campaigning over the following days.</p> <p>Further regional versions of <i>Question Time</i> aired the following day in Wales and Scotland, with the same format, where the leaders of <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_Cymru" title="Plaid Cymru">Plaid Cymru</a> and the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party" title="Scottish National Party">SNP</a> were quizzed by audiences.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Death_of_Jo_Harrison">Death of Jo Harrison</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Death of Jo Harrison">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table class="mbox-small plainlinks sistersitebox" style="border:1px solid #aaa;background-color:#f9f9f9"> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><img alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/40px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png" width="40" height="22" srcset="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/60px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //web.archive.org/web/20150521034313im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Wikinews-logo.svg/80px-Wikinews-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="759" data-file-height="415"/></td> <td class="mbox-text plainlist">Wikinews has related news: <i><b><a href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/UK_Staffordshire_South_2005_election_postponed" class="extiw" title="wikinews:UK Staffordshire South 2005 election postponed">UK Staffordshire South 2005 election postponed</a></b></i></td> </tr> </table> <p>On 1 May it was announced that Jo Harrison, the Liberal Democrat candidate for <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Staffordshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="South Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)">South Staffordshire</a>, had died after a short illness. Under electoral rules, the election in South Staffordshire was postponed until 23 June.</p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Hounslow_electoral_register">Hounslow electoral register</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Hounslow electoral register">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>On the day of the election, it was reported that up to several hundred voters' details had been accidentally deleted from the electoral register in <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hounslow" title="Hounslow">Hounslow</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/england/4518189.stm">[2]</a></p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Opinion_polls">Opinion polls</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Opinion polls">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_poll" title="Opinion poll">Opinion polls</a> were carried out almost every day during the election campaign and were reported by all the news media. The following lists opinion polls taken.</p> <table class="wikitable"> <tr style="background-color:#E9E9E9"> <th rowspan="2" width="50px">Date</th> <th rowspan="2">Labour</th> <th rowspan="2">Conservative</th> <th rowspan="2">Lib Dem</th> <th rowspan="2">Other</th> <th colspan="2">Implied Labour majority</th> <th rowspan="2">Pollster</th> <th rowspan="2">On behalf of</th> </tr> <tr style="background-color:#E9E9E9"> <th>Reported <sup id="fn_report_back"><a href="#fn_report">[1]</a></sup></th> <th>Calculated <sup id="fn_calc_back"><a href="#fn_calc">[2]</a></sup></th> </tr> <tr> <td>3 April</td> <td>40%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>16%</td> <td>10%</td> <td colspan="2">~150</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Communicate_Research&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Communicate Research (page does not exist)">Communicate Research</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_on_Sunday" title="Independent on Sunday" class="mw-redirect">Independent on Sunday</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>4 April</td> <td>35%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>9%</td> <td colspan="2">~60</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouGov" title="YouGov">YouGov</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph" title="The Daily Telegraph">The Daily Telegraph</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="5">5 April</td> <td>37%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>8%</td> <td colspan="2">~70</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICM_Research" title="ICM Research">ICM</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian" title="The Guardian">The Guardian</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>36%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>10%</td> <td colspan="2">~80</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Opinion_Polls&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="National Opinion Polls (page does not exist)">NOP</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Independent" title="The Independent">The Independent</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>37%</td> <td>35%</td> <td>19%</td> <td>9%</td> <td colspan="2">~100</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_Ltd" title="Populus Ltd">Populus</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times" title="The Times">The Times</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>34%</td> <td>39%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>6%</td> <td colspan="2">Hung Parliament</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MORI" title="MORI" class="mw-redirect">MORI</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Financial_Times" title="The Financial Times" class="mw-redirect">The Financial Times</a></i> <sup id="fn_certain_back"><a href="#fn_certain">[3]</a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <td>35%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>9%</td> <td colspan="2">~28</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_News" title="Sky News">Sky News</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td>6 April</td> <td>36%</td> <td>36%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>7%</td> <td colspan="2">~4</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td>Sky News</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8 April</td> <td>36%</td> <td>35%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>8%</td> <td colspan="2">~60</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="3">10 April</td> <td>40%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>19%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~138</td> <td>~144</td> <td>MORI</td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Observer" title="The Observer">The Observer</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>38%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>20%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~114</td> <td>~110</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>37%</td> <td>35%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>~70</td> <td>~86</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sunday_Times_(UK)" title="The Sunday Times (UK)" class="mw-redirect">The Sunday Times</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>11 April</td> <td>36%</td> <td>36%</td> <td>20%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~52</td> <td>~44</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>12 April</td> <td>38%</td> <td>32%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>9%</td> <td>~134</td> <td>~136</td> <td>NOP</td> <td><i>The Independent</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>13 April</td> <td>39%</td> <td>35%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>5%</td> <td>100+</td> <td>~112</td> <td>MORI</td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evening_Standard" title="Evening Standard" class="mw-redirect">Evening Standard</a></i> <sup id="fn_certain_back"><a href="#fn_certain">[3]</a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <td>14 April</td> <td>39%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>120+</td> <td>~136</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i>The Guardian</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>15 April</td> <td>38%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>~116</td> <td>~116</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="4">17 April</td> <td>36%</td> <td>35%</td> <td>23%</td> <td>6%</td> <td>nearly 50</td> <td>~58</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Sunday Times</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>40%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>20%</td> <td>6%</td> <td></td> <td>~138</td> <td>Communicate Research</td> <td><i>The Independent on Sunday</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>40%</td> <td>30%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~158</td> <td>~158</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i>The Sunday Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>36%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>9%</td> <td></td> <td>~96</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Polling_Index&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="British Polling Index (page does not exist)">British Polling Index</a></td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mail_on_Sunday" title="The Mail on Sunday">The Mail on Sunday</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>18 April</td> <td>41%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>20%</td> <td>6%</td> <td></td> <td>~148</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Mirror" title="Daily Mirror">The Daily Mirror</a></i> / <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMTV" title="GMTV">GMTV</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="4">19 April</td> <td>37%</td> <td>32%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>10%</td> <td>~122</td> <td>~116</td> <td>NOP</td> <td><i>The Independent</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>40%</td> <td>31%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>100+</td> <td>~156</td> <td>Populus</td> <td><i>The Times</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>36%</td> <td>32%</td> <td>23%</td> <td>9%</td> <td>~92</td> <td>~100</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>40%</td> <td>32%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>~138</td> <td>~146</td> <td>MORI</td> <td><i>The Financial Times</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="4">24 April</td> <td>37%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>23%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>~80</td> <td>~100</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Sunday Times</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>39%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>7%</td> <td></td> <td>~136</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i>The Sunday Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>40%</td> <td>35%</td> <td>18%</td> <td>7%</td> <td></td> <td>~130</td> <td>Communicate Research</td> <td><i>The Independent on Sunday</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>36%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>9%</td> <td></td> <td>~96</td> <td>British Polling Index</td> <td><i>Mail on Sunday</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>25 April</td> <td>37%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>24%</td> <td>6%</td> <td>~100</td> <td>~100</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>26 April</td> <td>40%</td> <td>30%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>9%</td> <td>150+</td> <td>~158</td> <td>NOP</td> <td><i>The Independent</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>27 April</td> <td>36%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>23%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>~84</td> <td>~82</td> <td>MORI</td> <td><i>The Financial Times</i> <sup id="fn_certain_back"><a href="#fn_certain">[3]</a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <td>28 April</td> <td>40%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>20%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>120+</td> <td>~144</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i>The Guardian</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>29 April</td> <td>36%</td> <td>32%</td> <td>24%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~100</td> <td>~100</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="5">1 May</td> <td>40%</td> <td>30%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>9%</td> <td>~144</td> <td>~144</td> <td>NOP</td> <td><i>The Independent on Sunday</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>39%</td> <td>31%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~140</td> <td>~146</td> <td>ICM</td> <td><i>The Sunday Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>36%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>9%</td> <td></td> <td>~96</td> <td>MORI</td> <td><i>The Observer</i> / <i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_Mirror" title="Sunday Mirror">Sunday Mirror</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>36%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>23%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~92</td> <td>~96</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Sunday Times</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>37%</td> <td>34%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>8%</td> <td>~96</td> <td>~100</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Rallings" title="Colin Rallings">Colin Rallings</a> and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Thrasher" title="Michael Thrasher">Michael Thrasher</a> <sup id="fn_local_be"><a href="#fn_local_be">[4]</a></sup></td> <td><i>The Sunday Times</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2">2 May</td> <td>36%</td> <td>33%</td> <td>24%</td> <td>7%</td> <td></td> <td>~96</td> <td>YouGov</td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>42%</td> <td>29%</td> <td>21%</td> <td>8%</td> <td></td> <td>~174</td> <td>Populus</td> <td><i>The Independent</i></td> </tr> <tr> <td>3 May</td> <td>39%</td> <td>29%</td> <td>22%</td> <td>10%</td> <td>~146</td> <td>~162</td> <td>MORI</td> <td><i>The Financial Times</i> <sup id="fn_certain_back"><a href="#fn_certain">[3]</a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <td>4 May</td> <td>37%</td> <td>32%</td> <td>24%</td> <td>7%</td> <td>~124</td> <td>~118</td> <td><i>YouGov</i> <sup id="fn_certain_back"><a href="#fn_certain">[3]</a></sup></td> <td><i>The Daily Telegraph</i></td> </tr> </table> <p><b>Notes</b></p> <p><cite id="fn_report"><a href="#fn_report_back">1:</a></cite> As reported in the newspaper article</p> <p><cite id="fn_calc"><a href="#fn_calc_back">2:</a></cite> As calculated on a uniform <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_(politics)" title="Swing (politics)">swing</a> by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/">Electoral Calculus</a></p> <p><cite id="fn_certain"><a href="#fn_certain_back">3:</a></cite> Restricted to those who said they were "certain to vote"</p> <p><cite id="fn_local_be"><a href="#fn_local_be">4:</a></cite> Not an opinion poll but a calculation based on the results of local authority by-elections</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Targets">Targets</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Targets">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>The below were not official targeted seats (no major party has ever published its list of targets — nor are any of them likely to: it would give away information to their opponents) but were based on the results of the 2001 election; the seats listed are the ones in which the respective party came second, ranked by the percentage margin by which they lost. In general, actual target seats are determined by more recent election results such as the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliament_election,_2004" title="European Parliament election, 2004">2004 European Parliament election</a>.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2009)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> The incumbent party is included in brackets after the constituency name.</p> <table class="wikitable"> <tr style="background-color:#E9E9E9"> <th></th> <th>Labour targets</th> <th>Margin</th> <th>Conservative targets</th> <th>Margin</th> <th>Liberal Democrat targets</th> <th>Margin</th> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td align="right">1</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_and_Skegness_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Boston and Skegness (UK Parliament constituency)">Boston and Skegness</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.28%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheadle_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Cheadle (UK Parliament constituency)">Cheadle</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.08%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taunton_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)">Taunton</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.43%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">2</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverley_and_Holderness_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Beverley and Holderness (UK Parliament constituency)">Beverley and Holderness</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.68%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumfries_and_Galloway_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Dumfries and Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)">Dumfries and Galloway</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.28%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpington_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Orpington (UK Parliament constituency)">Orpington</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.53%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">3</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Bedfordshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="South West Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)">South West Bedfordshire</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.77%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dorset_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="South Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)">South Dorset</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.34%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey_South_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Surrey South West (UK Parliament constituency)" class="mw-redirect">South West Surrey</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.74%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">4</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basingstoke_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Basingstoke (UK Parliament constituency)">Basingstoke</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.83%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braintree_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Braintree (UK Parliament constituency)">Braintree</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.71%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_Central_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Cardiff Central (UK Parliament constituency)">Cardiff Central</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.89%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">5</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Point_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Castle Point (UK Parliament constituency)">Castle Point</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.48%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston-super-Mare_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Weston-super-Mare (UK Parliament constituency)">Weston-super-Mare</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.72%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverness,_Nairn,_Badenoch_and_Strathspey_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (UK Parliament constituency)">Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.65%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">6</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upminster_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Upminster (UK Parliament constituency)">Upminster</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">3.67%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_North_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Norfolk North (UK Parliament constituency)" class="mw-redirect">North Norfolk</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.86%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Dorset_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="West Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)">West Dorset</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.85%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">7</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Canterbury (UK Parliament constituency)">Canterbury</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">4.58%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouth_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Monmouth (UK Parliament constituency)">Monmouth</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.86%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haltemprice_and_Howden_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Haltemprice and Howden (UK Parliament constituency)">Haltemprice and Howden</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">4.33%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">8</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_St_Edmunds_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)">Bury St Edmunds</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">4.98%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_Dorset_and_North_Poole_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Mid Dorset and North Poole (UK Parliament constituency)">Mid Dorset and North Poole</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.88%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Wight_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)">Isle of Wight</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">4.45%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">9</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosworth_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Bosworth (UK Parliament constituency)">Bosworth</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">5.05%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster_and_Wyre_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Lancaster and Wyre (UK Parliament constituency)">Lancaster and Wyre</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">0.92%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastbourne_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Eastbourne (UK Parliament constituency)">Eastbourne</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">4.81%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">10</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moray_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Moray (UK Parliament constituency)">Moray</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party" title="Scottish National Party">SNP</a>)</td> <td align="right">5.06%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guildford_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)">Guildford</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.12%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Wells (UK Parliament constituency)">Wells</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">5.45%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">11</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Chesterfield (UK Parliament constituency)">Chesterfield</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">5.82%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettering_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Kettering (UK Parliament constituency)">Kettering</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.24%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldham_East_and_Saddleworth_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)">Oldham East and Saddleworth</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.00%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">12</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexham_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Hexham (UK Parliament constituency)">Hexham</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">5.96%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerton_and_Frome_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Somerton and Frome (UK Parliament constituency)">Somerton and Frome</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.27%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbartonshire_East_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Dunbartonshire East (UK Parliament constituency)" class="mw-redirect">East Dunbartonshire</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.29%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">13</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uxbridge_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Uxbridge (UK Parliament constituency)">Uxbridge</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.28%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Angus (UK Parliament constituency)">Angus</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party" title="Scottish National Party">SNP</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.52%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westmorland_and_Lonsdale_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Westmorland and Lonsdale (UK Parliament constituency)">Westmorland and Lonsdale</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.57%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">14</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipping_Barnet_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Chipping Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)">Chipping Barnet</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.36%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northampton_South_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Northampton South (UK Parliament constituency)">Northampton South</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">1.73%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totnes_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)">Totnes</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.30%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">15</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosport_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Gosport (UK Parliament constituency)">Gosport</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.59%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brecon_and_Radnorshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Brecon and Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)">Brecon and Radnorshire</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.00%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Wiltshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="North Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)">North Wiltshire</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.32%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">16</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altrincham_and_Sale_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Altrincham and Sale West (UK Parliament constituency)">Altrincham and Sale West</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.75%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torridge_and_West_Devon_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Torridge and West Devon (UK Parliament constituency)">Torridge and West Devon</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.14%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maidenhead_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Maidenhead (UK Parliament constituency)">Maidenhead</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.58%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">17</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_West_Norfolk_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="North West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)">North West Norfolk</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.81%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hereford_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Hereford (UK Parliament constituency)">Hereford</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)" title="Liberal Democrats (UK)" class="mw-redirect">LD</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.17%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dorset_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="North Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)">North Dorset</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.94%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">18</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmarthen_East_and_Dinefwr_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (UK Parliament constituency)">Carmarthen East and Dinefwr</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_Cymru" title="Plaid Cymru">Plaid Cymru</a>)</td> <td align="right">6.81%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welwyn_Hatfield_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Welwyn Hatfield (UK Parliament constituency)">Welwyn Hatfield</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">2.79%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Bristol West (UK Parliament constituency)">Bristol West</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.95%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">19</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wycombe_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Wycombe (UK Parliament constituency)">Wycombe</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.04%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipley_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Shipley (UK Parliament constituency)">Shipley</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">3.10%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Yardley_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)">Birmingham Yardley</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">8.59%</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right">20</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffolk_Central_and_Ipswich_North_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Suffolk Central and Ipswich North (UK Parliament constituency)" class="mw-redirect">Central Suffolk and Ipswich North</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">7.36%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clwyd_West_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Clwyd West (UK Parliament constituency)">Clwyd West</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">L</a>)</td> <td align="right">3.22%</td> <td><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Forest_East_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="New Forest East (UK Parliament constituency)">New Forest East</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">C</a>)</td> <td align="right">9.08%</td> </tr> </table> <p>The Liberal Democrats pursued a "decapitation" strategy, targeting <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_bench" title="Front bench" class="mw-redirect">front bench</a> Conservative and (to a lesser extent) Labour MPs in potentially vulnerable seats.</p> <p>Targets for other parties included <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethnal_Green_and_Bow_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Bethnal Green and Bow (UK Parliament constituency)">Bethnal Green and Bow</a> where <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RESPECT_The_Unity_Coalition" title="RESPECT The Unity Coalition" class="mw-redirect">RESPECT</a> hoped to take a seat, and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighton_Pavilion_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Brighton Pavilion (UK Parliament constituency)">Brighton Pavilion</a> where the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_of_England_and_Wales" title="Green Party of England and Wales">Green Party of England and Wales</a> hoped to move into second place. The <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party" title="Scottish National Party">Scottish National Party</a>'s main targets were <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dundee_East_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Dundee East (UK Parliament constituency)">Dundee East</a> and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochil_and_South_Perthshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Ochil and South Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)">Ochil and South Perthshire</a> and <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_Cymru" title="Plaid Cymru">Plaid Cymru</a>'s top target was <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ynys_M%C3%B4n_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Ynys Môn (UK Parliament constituency)">Ynys Môn</a>.</p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="References">References</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: References">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="reflist" style="list-style-type: decimal;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span class="citation news"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4191453.stm">"Council elections brought forward"</a>. <i>BBC News</i>. 20 January 2005<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 July</span> 2012</span>.</span><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APre%E2%80%93election+day+events+of+the+United+Kingdom+general+election%2C+2005&rft.atitle=Council+elections+brought+forward&rft.date=20+January+2005&rft.genre=article&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F1%2Fhi%2Fnorthern_ireland%2F4191453.stm&rft.jtitle=BBC+News&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal" class="Z3988"><span style="display:none;"> </span></span></span></li> </ol> </div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="External_links">External links</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre%E2%80%93election_day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: External links">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4435713.stm">"Why everyone loves a political baby"</a> - BBC News editorial on the effect of the birth of Charles Kennedy's son on the general election.</li> </ul> <table class="navbox" style="border-spacing:0"> <tr> <td style="padding:2px"> <table class="nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"> <tr> <th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"> <div class="plainlinks hlist navbar mini"> <ul> <li class="nv-view"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005A" title="Template:United Kingdom general election, 2005A"><span title="View this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;">v</span></a></li> <li class="nv-talk"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005A" title="Template talk:United Kingdom general election, 2005A"><span title="Discuss this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;">t</span></a></li> <li class="nv-edit"><a class="external text" href="//web.archive.org/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005A&action=edit"><span title="Edit this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;">e</span></a></li> </ul> </div> <div style="font-size:110%"><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005">United Kingdom general election, 2005</a></div> </th> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"> <div> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constituency_results_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="Constituency results of the United Kingdom general election, 2005">Constituency results</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_constituencies_in_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom general election, 2005">Marginal constituencies</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MPs_elected_in_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 2005">MPs elected</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-election-day_events_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="Pre-election-day events of the United Kingdom general election, 2005" class="mw-redirect">Pre-election</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_contesting_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="List of parties contesting the United Kingdom general election, 2005">Parties</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Results_breakdown_of_the_United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005" title="Results breakdown of the United Kingdom general election, 2005">Results breakdown</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0px;background: #ddddff;"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li>Re-Elected <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Prime Minister of the United Kingdom">Prime Minister</a>: <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Blair" title="Tony Blair">Tony Blair</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">Labour</a>)</li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group">Parties elected to<br/> the <a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="House of Commons of the United Kingdom">House of Commons</a><br/> and their leaders</th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Blair" title="Tony Blair">Tony Blair</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">Labour</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Howard" title="Michael Howard">Michael Howard</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">Conservative</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kennedy" title="Charles Kennedy">Charles Kennedy</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats" title="Liberal Democrats">Liberal Democrats</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Paisley" title="Ian Paisley">Ian Paisley</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Unionist_Party" title="Democratic Unionist Party">Democratic Unionist Party</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Salmond" title="Alex Salmond">Alex Salmond</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party" title="Scottish National Party">Scottish National Party</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Adams" title="Gerry Adams">Gerry Adams</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_F%C3%A9in" title="Sinn Féin">Sinn Féin</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ieuan_Wyn_Jones" title="Ieuan Wyn Jones">Ieuan Wyn Jones</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_Cymru" title="Plaid Cymru">Plaid Cymru</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Durkan" title="Mark Durkan">Mark Durkan</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Democratic_and_Labour_Party" title="Social Democratic and Labour Party">Social Democratic and Labour Party</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Taylor_(British_politician)" title="Richard Taylor (British politician)">Richard Taylor</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Community_and_Health_Concern" title="Independent Community and Health Concern">Health Concern</a>)</li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Galloway" title="George Galloway">George Galloway</a> (<a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respect_Party" title="Respect Party">Respect</a>)</li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> <td colspan="2"></td> </tr> <tr> <th scope="row" class="navbox-group">Results by area</th> <td class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid;width:100%;padding:0px"> <div style="padding:0em 0.25em"> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Bristol)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Bristol)">Bristol</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Cornwall)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Cornwall)">Cornwall</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Greater_Manchester)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Greater Manchester)">Greater Manchester</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Lancashire)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Lancashire)">Lancashire</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(London)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (London)">London</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Merseyside)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Merseyside)">Merseyside</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Northern_Ireland)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Northern Ireland)">Northern Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Scotland)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Scotland)">Scotland</a> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Edinburgh)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Edinburgh)">Edinburgh</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Glasgow)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Glasgow)">Glasgow</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(Surrey)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (Surrey)">Surrey</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20150521034313/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_2005_(West_Yorkshire)" title="United Kingdom general election, 2005 (West Yorkshire)">West Yorkshire</a></li> </ul> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:2px"> 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