What should May and Corbyn do the day after the election? Absolutely nothing | Martin Kettle

Britain’s political system requires exhausted party leaders to rush into decisions. They should take time to think instead

• General election 2017 live: final polls show Tory lead as Corbyn and May cast votes

For political journalists the Friday after a general election is both the best of times and the worst of times. The good bit is that the day is boiling over with important political stories: who’s in, who’s out, who’s getting which job, how the nation voted. The demand for your copy is almost endless. The appetite of the beast is without end. The worst bit is that you are knackered.

I’ve covered every election since 1979, and I’ve never done the sensible thing. I’ve never had either the self-discipline or the option of going to bed at 9.30pm on polling day, ignoring the exit poll and the early results and instead starting work fresh and alert around dawn on this most consuming of political days.

It would be far better to let a new PM have time to think. The resulting government would almost certainly be stronger

Related: Go out and vote today, but know this – our grotesque system needs reform | Polly Toynbee

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