Details

Went to the election agents meeting with the Returning Officer in Lewisham Town Hall at Catford yesterday. (I can see what they mean when they say that the London transport system is destined to get workers into the centre and not to get people from one point in the South -- or North -- across to another. It took me over an hour-and-a half to get from Clapham to Catford. Glad I don't have to do it again).

We were told the details of the vote and count. The ballot paper will be a long strip and coloured pale yellow. An enlarged version will on display in all polling stations so that people can look at it before they cast their vote. It is well set out so that voters will be easily able to identify the parties. We're down under our full name of "The Socialist Party of Great Britain", near the end of the party lists. Immediately above us in "The Labour Party" and below us "United Kingdom Independence Party". We're the only party without an emblem (because a committee of the whole party has not been able to agree on one). UKIP's emblem is a £ sign.

The count won't take place till Sunday 7 June as other EU countries won't be voting till them, but the turnout should be available early evening on the Friday.

In London the votes will be counted in the 32 boroughs and then collated centrally. So, we'll get a breakdown of our vote by borough.