For the psephologically inclined

[chickenfeet]

As the following table shows, Bliar will be forming a government with the support of around 22% of the electorate (based on latest predictions) or a little over half of what was required to form a majority government in the 1950s. The case for electoral reform seems rather compelling.

Date	Winner	Seats	Majority	% vote	% turnout	% electors
1945	Labour	393	146	47.8	72.6	34.7
1950	Labour	315	5	46.1	84.1	38.8
1951	Conservative	321	17	48.0	82.5	39.6
1955	Conservative	344	54	49.7	76.8	38.2
1959	Conservative	365	100	49.4	78.8	38.9
1964	Labour	317	5	44.1	77.1	34.0
1966	Labour	363	96	47.9	75.9	36.4
1970	Conservative	323	30	46.4	72.0	33.4
1974	Labour	301	0	37.9	78.7	29.8
1974	Labour	319	4	39.2	72.8	28.5
1979	Conservative	339	43	43.9	72.0	31.6
1983	Conservative	397	143	42.4	72.7	30.8
1987	Conservative	376	102	42.2	75.3	31.8
1992	Conservative	336	21	41.9	77.7	32.6
1997	Labour	419	179	43.2	71.3	30.8
2001	Labour	412	167	40.7	59.4	24.2
2005	Labour		66	36.0	61.0	22.0