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Is there a need for a realignment north of the border Last year’s Holyrood election result was the sort of political earthquake that occurs at most once in a generation. The sweeping gains the SNP made not only cemented their place as one of the two Scottish government-forming parties but brought into question the role of the other three main parties. Having entered government, and particularly having been re-elected with an overall majority, the SNP now has two horses to…

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April 19th 6.30pm Dirty Dicks An early warning. Thanks to Fat Steve once again for arranging the next PB gathering at the Dirty Dicks public house just across the road from Liverpool Street station in London. Same arrangements as before and there’s no need to book. Just come along and meet and chat to other PBers over a pint or a Pinot Noir. @MikeSmithsonOGH

What happens if conference wants the NHS bill scrapped? Ahead of what could be a tough weekend for the Lib Dem leadership Nick Clegg will tell his party’s spring conference to “move on” from tuition fees and the NHS bill. Last year the conference passed resolutions which shaped the approach of the party to the Andrew Lansley’s “modernisation” programme. This year there’s a call for the bill to be abandoned completely. Unlike the LAB and CON conferences which abandoned any…

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Are two referenda going to be needed? A view is emerging there will need to be two Scottish referenda: the first giving the SNP government in Edinburgh the authority to negotiate the terms of a split from the UK; the second taking place after the negotiations so that voters would know exactly what was involved. My guess is that the two stage approach would be more likely to produce a YES on the first ballot because this would mean that…

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If you would like to purchase one of Marf’s prints, please contact her at marfcartoons@btinternet.com

What’ll that do in the rest of the primaries? Newt Gingrich spokesman Mr. R.C. Hammond has told the Wall Street Journal that Alabama and Mississippi, which vote next Tuesday, “are must-wins if Gingrich is to remain credible as a presidential candidate”. When he was pressed if Newt “had to win” those states, Hammond responded, “Yes.” I agree with Andrew Sullivan who says: “There doesn’t seem much wriggle room in the quote. So if Santorum wins those states, as he well…

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And what about the “increasingly impressive” EdM? Today’s must-read political column is that by Peter Oborne in Telegraph in which he looks at relations between the coalition partners and predicts that the arrangement won’t survive 2013. He focuses on the Vince Cable letter row to underline the point that the government has two economic policies – George’s and Vince’s. Oborne goes on: “..Allies of the Chancellor are trying to diminish Mr Cable by pointing out that he has been responsible…

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If you would like to purchase one of Marf’s prints or an original please contact her at marfcartoons@btinternet.com