Polling range 2005-2010 CON low-CON high LAB low-LAB high LD low-LD high Total range ICM 31-45 25-40 14-31 46 ComRes* 30-46 21-37 12-31 51 Populus 28-45 21-41 12-31 56 Ipsos-MORI 28-52 18-44 11-32 71 YouGov 31-47 22-44 11-34 71 Election result 37.0% 29.7% 23.6% –
Could this end up splitting the Lib Dems? This is my 64th birthday and I’m fearful that it could go down as the day that parts of my own party took decisions that could have a lasting and possibly even destructive effect. The election arithmetic and the harsh economic reality for the nation leaves the party with one choice – but one that large parts of it appear to be unable to accept. To be seen to be propping up…
Is Clegg’s inclination for the Tories? Yet another key meeting is just about to start on this most extraordinary of days. The new Lib Dem parliamentary party are having their second session of the day and this meeting could be crucial. With the Tory offer on an AV referendum the yellows have probably got just about as much as they can get from the blues. The big question is how going with Labour would appear and what it would do…
Does the move really stop Cameron becoming PM? What an amazing political day. Brown’s move could have totally changed the discussions on the form of the next government. To find out more about Marf’s cartoon click here. Mike Smithson
Gordon Brown to be gone by September In a quite dramatic statement Gordon Brown has announced that he is standing aside as Labour leader with the aim of having a replacement in by the Labour conference in September. The plan seems to be that this will make it easier for the Lib Dems to do a deal with the Lib Dems. It has repeatedly been said that Clegg finds real difficult to deal with the current PM. So Nick Clegg…
SkyNews The latest suggestions are that this is getting closer but it’s much narrower than the full coalition that was being talked about over the weekend. Lib Dem MPs are meeting at the moment – Cameron will face his MPs this evening. Mike Smithson
Rod Crosby on “The Holy Grail – PR-Squared?” All electoral systems have flaws. Some are philosophical, some are technical, some esoterical, some are merely anathema to one party or another on grounds of perceived electoral disadvantage. In the UK, objections to Proportional Representation have tended to revolve around the loss of the constituency link and the realisation that majority government would become a thing of the past. Recently however, the flaws of FPTP have been thrown into sharp relief. Aside…