Scores of regional journalists were taking a well-earned breather this morning after working through the night to tell the story of a dramatic election outcome both in print and online.
Initial expectations of an inconclusive result were confounded by the 10pm BBC exit poll showing the Tories on course to become comfortably the largest party.
With early results appearing to confirm the forecasts, it meant a number of regional dailies were able to accurately predict the outcome as their first editions went to press.
Among those first out of the blocks were the Yorkshire Post and the South Wales Argus which both reported that the Conservatives were on course for victory.
However a different story was unfolding north of the border, with the dramatic surge in support for the Scottish National Party sweeping all before it.
The Edinburgh Evening News used a dramatic image of the sun breaking over the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood to illustrate its splash, while the Aberdeen Evening Express picked up on a comment by former SNP leader Alex Salmond for its front page.
But the SNP landslide coupled with the Tory victory in England raised big questions about whether the country could remain united as well as highlighting a North-South political divide.
Both the Northern Echo and Newcastle Chronicle front pages reflected the fact that once again Labour had done well in the North-East while failing in the rest of the country.
Elsewhere a number of daily print titles ran real-time results services and live blogs across their websites.
Trinity Mirror’s coverage of the election also included totalisers and interactive maps in most of its regional centres.
Most of its sites, including the Manchester Evening News, Birmingham Mail, Liverpool Echo and WalesOnline, had a live rolling blog from the close of polls last night into this morning, featuring latest gossip, trends and results.
The publisher also ensured coverage by its regional titles was optimised for mobile phones because many readers were expected to be ‘second-screening’ with televisions.
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
They should have tried it in the days of typewriters, no mobiles, no e mails all results and quotes taken down by hand. I can remember starting writing at 5am after being up all night waiting on some crap, slow council for general election and district council results. The results were exciting, the waiting boring beyond belief surrounded by political types.
Report this comment
Sounds as though you were employed at the wrong Newspaper or in the wrong job. As a hot metal comp I can remember a great night with page after page of results set up with the actual results dropped in as they were announced. Like the Saturday “pink” it was fast, fun and sadly today a distant memory.
Ps. please don’t ask what was a “hot metal comp?”
Report this comment
Hot metal comp. Neither. Just saying modern technology helps a lot. That’s all!
Generally, hacking was hard work, fun and exciting then.
Report this comment
I like the ‘Divided Nation’ front – except it gives no hint of who actually won the election.
‘Tories win a divided nation’ would have been better – except it would require type over the faces of the leaders.
Perhaps it was written with the assumption that everyone knew the result anyway?
Report this comment
Veryoldhack, if that’s your take on breaking news set to influence the course of the country then god help you. Hope you got out in time and landed your dream nine to five clerical job somewhere. And yes, I’ve worked through dozens of elections, many in the typewriter and hot metal days.
Report this comment
Been covering General Elections since 1979 and loved every one of them – even though the counts are taking longer and longer. Great to see the ‘young’ journalists utilising the ‘new’ technology on site. One disappointment: the hi-gloss Communications Officers look far too corporate!
Report this comment