Would it really block the Tories out forever? I suppose that this has been a period for ranting and perhaps I’ve been as guilty as anyone but have the Tories got the voting reform debate all wrong? Just read this description from Janet Daly for tomorrow’s Telegraph: “.. it is the most shameless attempt to rig the electoral process in living memory. What the “alternative vote” would mean is that it would be virtually impossible for the Conservatives ever to…
The overwhelming problem for Brown and his minsters in proposing electoral reform is that it looks like a reaction to Labour’s historic defeat at the polls in the Euro Parliament elections. It has the appearance of an act of desperation. For it was only two nights ago that the party was getting the terrible news about a total collapse of support in virtually every part of the country. So why start talking about the voting system now? If Labour had…
Is it compatible with his peerage and new position? A nice little problem for BBC bosses over Gord’s biggest re-shuffle gimmick – making the former Amstrad boss turned TV star, Sir Alan Sugar the government “Enterprise Czar” and giving him a peerage. He’ll sit on the Labour benches. Does his new political position mean that he should give up the show – something that BBC bosses will desperately try to avoid because “The Apprentice” is a ratings winner? A BBC…
What do we think of the new PaddyPower market? PaddyPower have got a new market up on which from a list of Cabinet minister will be the next to resign/get sacked. These are the options and opening prices:- David Miliband – 13/8 Gordon Brown – 7/4 Alistair Darling – 4/1 Alan Johnson – 6/1 Ed Balls – 8/1 Harriet Harman – 12/1 Jack Straw – 14/1 Lord Mandelson – 16/1 This is quite hard but I’ve put a little bet…
Have they given up on having a leader who’s electable? It was perhaps too much to be hoped that Labour MPs would last night ditch the man they they gave the leadership to in June 2007 without him having to be bothered with all that stuff about facing an election. They failed to stand up to the Brown Gang’s strong arm tactics two years ago and they failed again last night. The result, let’s spell it out, is that they…
Could this add to the pressure on Brown? A new ComRes tonight for tomorrow’s Independent seeks to test how Labour would do if other figures were in Number 10 rather than Gordon Brown. This is how they rated:- Alan Johnson CON 36 LAB 26 LD 19 Jack Straw CON 36 LAB 25 LD 19 David Miliband CON 37 LAB 25 LD 19 Ed Balls CON 37 LAB 23 LD 20 John Cruddas CON 36 LAB 22 LD 21 Gordon Brown…
What do we think of the Guido “report”? There’s a piece just been published on Guido that I’m putting up here because it does sound plausible. Guido writes: ” a source has just phoned, claiming to be at the drinks reception for North West Labour Party parliamentary researchers, where James Purnell has just told them that, if no credible candidate comes forward by noon tomorrow, he himself will stand..” Purnell, through his actions on Thursday night, has shown himself to…
What expectations do we have of tonight’s meeting? At 6pm Gordon Brown is due to attend the much-trailed meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party – the event , it’s been suggested, which could be highly dangerous for the PM. There’s been all the talk of the email rebellion but are there any expectations that something could happen. The real problem for disgruntled Labour MPs is that Brown and Mandelson seem to hold all the aces – if they get too…