Mods: This post is an original LBN post because it relates to the accuracy of the BBC exit poll, not the outcome of the election.John Plunkett
Friday May 6, 2005
BBC and ITV news chiefs were celebrating today after their first-ever joint
exit poll proved remarkably accurate in predicting Tony Blair's sharply reduced majority. "Frankly it was pretty staggering," said Sue Inglish, the BBC's head of political programmes. "For various reasons we have not been able to do it before but it was a real collaborative effort that paid off for all of us."
The broadcasters' joint poll suggested Labour would win a historic third term but with a majority of just 66 seats, fewer than most newspaper polls had been predicting.
With fewer than 25 constituencies still to declare at midday today, Labour can be confident of a majority of between 64 and 66 seats. http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1478206,00.html