Top ten interesting election facts
22/04/2015
As polling day quickly approaches, how are you feeling about it the general election on 7th May? Are you excited, not really bothered or already tired of all the hype? We here a financialadvice.co.uk have done a little research to find you the most interesting facts we can about the party leaders, MPs, election process and previous elections.
1. A multi party age has landed
In this general election, it is predicted that more than 25% of voters will vote for a party outside of Labour or the Conservatives. In 2010, only 13% of people voted for a party other than the main two, and in 1951 that figure was 2.5%. The betting company William Hill have shortened their odds for the election to end up with no single party gaining an overall majority - down from opening rates of 6/4 to current odds of 3/10. Makes for a much more exciting election night!
2. Some places make you vote
In the UK, the decision to vote is yours, and even once registered, you are not required to carry out with your vote. Luxembourg, Greece, Cyprus and Australia are among some of the countries where voting in elections is compulsory. People failing to vote could end up in court and get landed with a fine!
3. Thursdays the big day
UK general elections are always held on a Thursday. The last time it was on another day was in 1931, when it was held on Tuesday 27th October. Some politicians have raised the idea of moving them to a weekend, when more people are off work.
4. Atheist Ed
If Ed Miliband wins this election, he will be the first Atheist leader the UK has ever had. All other leaders have declared themselves Christian, with the most diverse being Tony Blair converting to Catholicism in 2007.
5. 54 year age gap
The youngest and oldest MPs in the House of Commons have an age difference of 54 years. Sir Peter Tapsell of the Conservatives is the oldest MP at 84 years old, and Pamela Nash of Labour is the youngest, at 30.
6. Fair wage?
A MPs salary is £67,060 a year. Cabinet Ministers receive £134,565, including their MPs salary. David Cameron is currently paid £142,500 a year.
7. Turnout
The lowest turn out to a general election was at the end of World War one when the polling station saw only 57.2% of eligible voters cast their ballot. The highest ever turnout was 83.9% in 1950. The turnout during the last General Election in 2010 was 65.1%.
8. Costs
The estimated cost of running the 2010 general election was a massive £113.2 million. This is not including the amount of money each of the parties spent on their campaign trail, which added up to a total of £31.1 million.
9. You can vote drunk!
Polling staff cannot refuse a voter simply because they are drunk. If you a suspected of being incapable of voting you will be asked a series of questions to see if you are capable of casting your ballot. If a voter cannot answer these questions you will be told to sober up then come back.
10. Number 13?
The Queen has so far had 12 prime ministers. If Ed Miliband wins the upcoming election, he will be the 13th.
We hope you enjoyed those top ten election facts! If you would like more information about what the two main political parties are promising in regards to your finances, keep an eye out for our next blog.
Who will you be voting for? Let us know your thoughts, comments and ideas by tweeting us at @financialuk or liking us on Facebook. Don’t forget, if you have any personal finance questions related to this news article, please contact our financial advisers. You can get in touch by asking a question online, calling us on 0800 092 1245, or by arranging a visit.
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