WIN A CASE OF CHAMPAGNE ! ENTER OUR ELECTION COMPETITION

Are you a political wizard? Do you know what’s really happening on the Brown/ Blair front? Howard and Davis? Boris Johnson and, oh anyone you care to name. Can you tell me who won the General Election of 1892? Or whether it was Tony Blair or William Pitt who said “I am sure I can save this country, and no-one else can”. Are you an anorak? A guru? A psychic? A personal lifestyle advisor? But much more important, do you want to win a case of champagne?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, but especially the final one, enter Chelgate’s General Election competition to test your political instincts and stand the chance of winning a case of champagne.

All you need to do is tell us which party will win the most votes across the UK, (not necessarily the most seats), which the second most, and what the difference will be between the largest and the second largest number of votes, come the General Election. So, if you’re convinced UKIP will squeeze home just 42 votes ahead of the Greens, with Lib, Lab and Tory parties trailing in their wake, this is your chance to turn that remarkable insight into bubbles.

In making your estimates don’t forget the British first-past-the-post electoral system can throw up some strange anomalies:

• Five times in the last century the party with the most votes did not win the most seats in the House of Commons. Going as far back as the two general elections in 1910 when each time the Conservative and Unionist Party (as it was known then) won more votes than the Liberal party (206,725 more in the February, 113,497 in the December election) yet the Liberals won more seats – two more in February and only one more in December;
   
• The first Labour Government elected in 1929 was elected with 203,559 fewer votes than the Conservative party but with 27 more seats. In 1974 the Labour Party won four more seats than the Conservatives with 226,564 fewer votes;
   
• In more recent elections the differences between the first two parties have been clearer. The 1992 general election, despite many expectations and predictions gave the Conservatives 2,532,523 more votes and 65 more seats than the Labour party. The Labour landslide of 1997, gave them 3,916,971 more votes and 253 seats than the Conservatives. And bringing us up-to-date the 2001 election saw 2,367,338 more votes for the Labour party and 246 more seats than the conservatives

So if you’re a political pundit who can predict election outcomes with uncanny accuracy, or you just want to win a case of champagne, enter you details and your prediction below.

And also win a bottle of 12 year old single malt

And, to encourage you not to wait until the last minute, if the winning entry is submitted more than a month before the election, we’ll throw in a bottle of 12 year old single malt scotch as a special bonus.

In the unlikely event of a tie, the outcome will be decided and the entire case awarded on wholly subjective grounds, including entrants’ charm, good looks, champagne lifestyle and readiness to share the spoils with Chelgate staffers.

If you live outside the UK, and it looks as though delivery costs will break the Chelgate coffers, we reserve the right to arrange a reward of comparable delight, sourced closer to whatever exotic location you currently call home.

Details of all individual forecasts will be treated in strict confidence, although the eventual winner may be publicised with his or her approval. In the weeks prior to the election Chelgate may issue updates concerning the balance of forecasts made, but no individual entries will be identified or publicised.

The winner will be notified as soon as possible after the election.