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Election already over across most of Britain

Depressing research dampens election fever.

By James Macintyre

As Mehdi said earlier, the choppers are out in force, and though nothing much has happened today apart from Party Leaders Leave London, election “fever” has gripped the UK — or Westminster, at least.

Now into the mix comes depressing research from the Electoral Reform Society, showing that across most of the country, and in roughly 400 seats, the election has already been decided thanks to our first-past-the-post system, in which about a million people in marginals decide for the rest of us.

Here’s Dr Ken Ritchie, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society:

A hearty congratulations to all our new MPs for a hard-fought campaign. Having won the backing of their party members, they can now pack their bags for Westminster.

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What a shame that conservative Gordon Brown, who is said to be pledging proportional representation for the Lords, did not produce the “game changer” of a promise of PR for the Commons. That really would have electrified this campaign.

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