Thursday is the big day, the General election is finally here and next week we may get something else mentioned on the News. Will the weather put people off going outside?
For much of the UK, it will be fine and bright Thursday for getting out to vote. There will still be some showers. A scattering of hefty showers over S.Britain coming in along the Bristol Channel in the morning and then lines developing for S.Wales, S.Midlands and S.England. Also closer to the low, there will be showers for W and N Scotland, even some wintry ones by the afternoon in the far NW. Not what you need, sleet on the way to vote in May. Shetland is going to have a wet and windy day, only clearing once the polls close. This time the votes are being counted within Shetland so no long air or sea journeys for the ballot boxes.
It will feel quite cool at 8 to 14C although Gt. London may pop up to 17C in the sunny spells which will feel much better. Postal voters can be smug that it doesn’t matter as their work is done. It will be chilly in N.Britain and N.Ireland for the early birds who get to the Polling Place just after 7am and again for the LastMinute.com crowd who head to vote nearer 10pm. A frost for inland Scotland. For England and Wales it will be less windy, finally although still gusty in the heavier showers. The far north of Scotland keeps strong Westerly winds.
I’ve been working at STV (Scottish ITV) this week presenting their weather and the political correspondents don’t really want wind and rain in the day whilst filling the totally neutral void which is voting day. Lots of shots of people heading into the polling places. There is slight weariness as the enforced fairness of all bulletins constrains the output. If one party is mentioned, the others have to be represented, no political posters in the back of shot, nothing too opinionated which could be deemed influential.
On polling day, no candidates or posters again to influence voters on the day. It is a kind of no-man’s land waiting until the first results come in after 10pm. At least I could tell the camera crews and reporters doted around Scotland (same for the whole of the UK) waiting for the declarations, that they won’t be hampered by bad weather, just need to wrap up warm when they finally get to go to bed.
I can't wear green anyway as my chroma key is that colour. Purple used to be pretty neutral but nowadays all the colours are attached to one party or another. Off to find something grey for tomorrow and Friday. Remember to vote.
