How important is the student vote? As promised the NUS has launched its campaign of protests against student fees with a threat to unseat Lib Dem MPs. The situation is developing and the question is what will be the impact politically? One problem the NUS have is that they might be good at demos they have never shown the serious resolve to get students onto the electoral register and out to vote It’s that grunt work that could make them…
Oldham E & Saddleworth decision – right or wrong? (YouGov) All voters CON voters LAB voters LD voters Right 71 82 65 82 Wrong 7 4 12 `8 Don’t know 22 14 23 10 Should there be laws to stop candidates lying about their rivals? (YouGov) All voters CON voters LAB voters LD voters “It is right that there should be laws†74 86 69 77 “Such laws are a restriction on free speech and risk preventing robust debate†9…
There Is No Alternative To Leadership On AV The first big challenge facing Ed Miliband’s leadership will not being Oldham and Saddleworth by-election which, thanks to The Speaker, has incredibly been delayed. The pressing internal political challenge facing the new leader is clarifying and confirming Labour’s position on the Alternative Vote. Last Friday Andy Burnham, Labour’s election co-ordinator chose to announce that the Labour Party won’t now be campaigning in favour of the Alternative Vote during the referendum. This is…
Do they need to put a lid on their fury – and quick? I’m travelling at the moment and have only just caught up with the reports of what happened at last night’s meeting of Labour MPs. According to the BBC’s John Pienaar the comments by Harriet Harman about Woolas have provoked what Labour MPs and ex-ministers call a “mutiny” against the Labour leadership at Westminster. You have to ask are they crazy? For their defence of Woolas can only…
Can Elwyn Watkins get his 104 Tory switchers? Ex-Tory front-bencher turned professional blogger, Paul Goodman, has been the first to raise what’s said to be a growing feeling amongst Tory MPs that David Cameron would rather like it if the man who brought the case against Phil Woolas, Lib Dem Elwyn Watkins, ends of as winner in Old & Sad. His reasoning is that such a victory would steady the nerves of his coalition partners in the face the poor…
What’ll George Bush do to the civil liberties debate? Ahead of its serialisation of the George Bush book the Times has an interview this morning which will surely spark off a big debate on civil liberties and the use of torture particularly if it can be shown to have saved people’s lives. The Times front page above sets out the dilemma. For Bush claims that information extracted from terrorist suspects by “waterboarding†saved British lives by preventing attacks on Heathrow…
A special piece by MORUS on this afternoon’s statement Firstly a Judicial Review cannot happen, because a Judicial Review is not permitted to review the workings of the High Court (inc the Election Court) or the Court of Appeal. If the High Court takes complete leave of its senses and awards a Judicial Review, it should be ignored as being an unconstitutional crackpot court. Secondly, any appeal to the Court of Appeal concerning the illegal offence is tangential to the…
Just one percent of all money gambled has been on Labour Shadsy at Ladbrokes has just sent me a breakdown of the betting on the Oldham East & Saddleworth by election. Oldham E & Saddleworth Proportion of money wagered Liberal Democrats 83% Conservatives 13% Labour 1% If it continues like this and the election goes with the national opinion polls then the bookies will do very well. The opening Ladbrokes price on Clegg’s party was 8/1. It quickly moved in…