Browsed by
Month: February 2008

Sean Fear’s Friday Slot…on Saturday

Sean Fear’s Friday Slot…on Saturday

What if There Were a By-Election in Old Bexley and Sidcup? Unlike Rod Crosby, I don’t anticipate a by-election in this seat. However, it’s worth giving some thought to what would happen if Derek Conway were to step down, and a by-election called. The seat itself is a mighty Conservative stronghold. Conway had a majority of nearly 10,000 over Labour in 2005. In the local elections of 2006, the Conservatives won all 24 council seats in the constituency, and took…

Read More Read More

Will Gord try to undermine Tony’s Euro bid?

Will Gord try to undermine Tony’s Euro bid?

Is he worth 2/1 to become President of Europe? When either one of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain is formally installed as President of the United States at noon on January 20th 2009 will one of their first meetings be with the new President of Europe, one Tony Blair and former resident of Number 10 Downing Street? For one of the most intriguing political battles during the next eleven months will be who gets the newly enhanced role…

Read More Read More

It’s back to a smiling Gordon with Ipsos-Mori

It’s back to a smiling Gordon with Ipsos-Mori

Is Gord’s party really doing better than in 2005? The results of Ipsos-Mori January face to face survey of more than 2000 people are just out and give Labour a one point lead – a huge change on the last survey by the pollster just three weeks ago. Unlike this survey the earlier poll was by phone. These are the latest shares with comparisons on the earlier survey CON 37% (-5): LAB 38% (+6): LD 16% (+1). The fieldwork took…

Read More Read More

Will it be best for the Dems if it’s resolved quickly?

Will it be best for the Dems if it’s resolved quickly?

Will the Republicans benefit by deciding first? The final clause of the concluding paragraph of the main leader in the Independent this morning reflects a sentiment that I guess a lot of site visitors totally agree with. Looking forward to next week the paper notes: On Tuesday, these two thrilling contests go nationwide. We hanker after a McCain-Obama match in November, but our more immediate interest – and surely that of US voters – is in any result that keeps…

Read More Read More

Do you think Gordon will see this as a threat?

Do you think Gordon will see this as a threat?

What does Labour do now the Tories are not seen “the nasty party”? The front page of this morning’s Guardian is dominated by a report that groups of Labour modernisers, including cabinet minsters, are planning to tell Brown to offer a more radical reform programme to help beat off the Tory threat in the centre ground. Linked to a paper from the Progress thinktank the group is arguing that the political landscape has changed, that the opposition is perceived differently…

Read More Read More