When Britain votes in a general election on July 4, one person will likely know the outcome before anyone else. John Curtice, a professor of political science at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, will spend Election Day with his team, honing the findings of a national exit poll. At 10 p.m., before any results have been counted, he will make a big, bold prediction that will be announced on national television: the winner. “The lovely thing about the period between 10 o’clock and 11.30 p.m. is that nobody knows!” said Professor Curtice with a grin, raising his hands into the air. In five of the six, the margin of error for that forecast was five parliamentary seats or fewer.

Source: The Times June 04, 2024 20:28 UTC