Independent+ includes the Speaker John Bercow and the Brighton Pavilion Green Party MP. Total MP's-649 as 1 seat (Thirsk & Malton - Conservative majority of 10,469 in the 2005 General Election) remains to be contested on 27 May following the death of the UKIP candidate during the election campaign.

The number of seats by Party in the Poll figures is based on  the UKPollingReport Polling average (this site incidentally is very popular at present and has details and analysis of all the published polls). The basis & the shortcomings of using average polls is explained by Anthony Wells in his notes to the average but he mentions that what it ".... does do is give a nice shorthand for how the polls are at the moment and it is a prerequisite for giving a projection of what the result would be in an election tomorrow." As the three major parties tend towards equivalency health warnings on the use/interpretation/validity of average polls & universal swings increase! These average percentages are then converted to seats using an average of UKPollingReport & Electoral Calculus seat prediction engines. Small 1 to 2 seat adjustments may be made to provide credible Independent+ numbers which will include the speaker (if he is re-elected). 

The starting point is the membership of Parliament at dissolution. Deputy speakers and vacant seats following resignation/ death have been attributed to their respective Parties. An overall majority is given for comparative purposes (ie with the underlying assumption that Sinn Fein members attend Parliament & are entitled to vote).