What's the story, moaning Tory..?

Iain Dale bemoans the lack of live election counts on his blog. As far as Norfolk's concerned, just North Norfolk and Norwich South plan to begin the count after the polls close - though many elsewhere have yet to declare their intentions, according to the official list.

"The longer a count is delayed, the more opportunity there is for mischief," he says. "Local authority chief executives, who double as returning officers get paid a handsome bonus for conducting elections. I seem to remember it is in the region of £10,000. They should get off their fat arses and sort this, before it is sorted for them."

Having a pop at the civil servants might seem fair enough. But the reason counts are being delayed is to save money.

Didn't the majority of politicos responding to a survey on the likely outcome of a new Tory administration's first 100 days on conservativehome plump for an emergency budget..?

And aren't we missing the issue which is dividing the grass-roots - ie will there/won't there be elections for a single unitary authority for Norfolk included in the mix..?

Maybe that's why Yarmouth's returning officer says they'll count on the night if there aren't also local elections.