How big is Blair's majority actually?

[liberalpragmatist]

The BBC website says Labour has 355 seats, with 324 needed for a majority. Seems to me that's a majority of 31, not 66 as the reports keep saying.

Am I just counting wrong?

[Goldmund]

1. I think what they mean is...

...they have 66 seats more than the next best represented party.

[liberalpragmatist]

2. No b/c the Conservatives have 197

That's a 158-seat difference.

[Goldmund]

5. ah...

then I don't know. :shrug:

[Vladimir]

3. they have 66 more than all the other parties put together n/t

[liberalpragmatist]

4. OH!

Okay, now that makes sense. Sorry.

[Goldmund]

6. Well...

If 324 are needed for a majority, that means that the whole parliament has 323*2=646 or 323.5*2=647 seats.

So, if Labour has 355, then all the other parties have either 646-355=291 or 647-355=292 seats. So then, the difference is either 355-291=64 or 355-292=63 seats.

I can't come up with 66.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

7. also there is 1 uncontested seat for the speaker of the House

[bennywhale]

8. Blair has appointed an ex communist as defense secretary will be allowed

into America?