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Month: March 2009

Could the G20 protests be the main story?

Could the G20 protests be the main story?

Will the police measures distract attention from the meeting itself With world leaders arriving in London for Thursday’s G20 meeting in the capital a big police operation is going on to ensure that the gathering itself can take place in relative peace and safety. Given the bomb attacks in London in July 2005 when the G8 meeting was taking place in Gleneagles there’s obviously a worry about police over-stretch. Meanwhile the person ostensibly in charge of all of this, Jacqui…

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Is being an MP really on par with a GP or a school head?

Is being an MP really on par with a GP or a school head?

What do MPs do to justify all their cash? This morning Ermintrude made a point that is worth its own thread – what is it that MPs do to justify all the cash that they get. Expressing the hope that a realistic appraisal of an MPs role should come out of this mess he wrote: “What bugs me is the frequent suggestion that their jobs are equivalent to other professional like headteachers or GPs. They’re not.” This reminds me of…

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Will Gord regret not sacking Jacqui?

Will Gord regret not sacking Jacqui?

Has he become distracted by the G20 meeting? Well here we are – another day of appalling front pages for MPs in the tabloid press as the Jacqui Smith porn issue rumbles on and outline details of expenses for every single MPs are published. What then will be the overall impact on the outcome of the general election? Will it all be forgotten about in a few days or is this another boost for the opposition – particularly the Tories?…

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ComRes has Labour back in the 20s

ComRes has Labour back in the 20s

CON 40(-1) LD 18(+1) LAB 28(-2) But could there be no votes for Labour in the G20 meeting? What should be the final poll for March, ComRes for the Indy, is now out and shows a small increase in the Tory lead – although the shares of both the main parties slipped on the last polls from the pollster a week and a half ago. The notable feature is the high figure for “others” 14% which shows the Greens and…

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PB Poll: Is Jacqui Smith going to survive?

PB Poll: Is Jacqui Smith going to survive?

Will Jacqui Smith still be Home Secretary on General Election day? YES she will NO she won’t    Ladbrokes has Jacqui at evens on being still in the job at the end of the year. James Purnell is the 8/1 second favourite. William Hill Politics make it 4/6 that she’ll be out by the end of the year. I got 6/4 on Smith not making it to the general election last November and I’ve got £10 on at 100/1 that…

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Continuation thread: a mercy election?

Continuation thread: a mercy election?

Who will put the Gvt out of their misery? If I were a better person, I might feel a little more sympathy for some of our Labour MPs. The last fortnight has damaged, in no particular order, Tony McNulty, anyone related to Jacqui Smith, Harry Cohen, Dawn Butler and some of the other London MPs, Nigel Griffiths and now 5 other MPs who think they might recognise that brunette who was so forgettable that the Rt Hon Member for Edinburgh South…

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To go or not to go..

To go or not to go..

Isn’t now the time to draw some distance? Two of my favourite political writers, Allegra Stratton in the Guardian and James Forsyth over at the Spectator’s Coffee House blog, have picked up a tentative alliance that they believe is being woven between Jon Cruddas and James Purnell, with a view to the Labour leadership. Leaving aside the technicality that there is no vacancy, and no election may be called for over a year, all eyes it seems are on the…

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The Jacqui Smith continuation thread

The Jacqui Smith continuation thread

Coffee House Once again… can she survive?… and is Darling in trouble too? From James Forsyth at the Spectator’s Coffee House blog: “These revelations are so damaging because they will lead to the voters just laughing at the government. When the electorate rages at a government, its members can at least console themselves they are being taken seriously. But when they are being mocked, there is no such consolation… Labour should prepare itself for a year that will be even…

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