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Month: January 2014

Clegg’s general election pitch: “The biggest threat to economic recovery is..single party government”

Clegg’s general election pitch: “The biggest threat to economic recovery is..single party government”

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Nick Clegg on Andrew Marr show http://t.co/DZNREnCGSu — PolPics (@PolPics) January 12, 2014 Clegg makes the case for a further coalition It was Nick Clegg’s turn this morning to tour the radio and TV studios and his most interesting line was this from 5Live:- “Actually, if you look at some of the polls, there’s polls suggesting more people want another coalition of one description or another than they want a single party government. And by the way, I think they’re…

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The “Plebgate Aftermath”: A Sutton Coldfield by-election could now be nailed on

The “Plebgate Aftermath”: A Sutton Coldfield by-election could now be nailed on

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http://t.co/Mjk8tWGtRK http://t.co/fvMSatzc3U — PolPics (@PolPics) January 12, 2014 Will Mitchell be resigning this year anyway? The guilty plea in the trial of the PC who falsely made up evidence about the Plebgate affair has been used by Andrew Mitchell’s friends as vindication of his position.  It’s not quite that – if he wasn’t there then the substance of what was said remains disputed – but it hasn’t done anything for the police case. Demands for Mitchell’s reinstatement to cabinet would…

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Wythenshawe and Sale E could be a dry run for Toby Young’s tactical voting campaign

Wythenshawe and Sale E could be a dry run for Toby Young’s tactical voting campaign

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http://t.co/Vru6eBegqP http://t.co/ZAEV366pJS — PolPics (@PolPics) January 11, 2014 @AndrewCooper__ @LordAshcroft I hope you'll both join me in urging all good Tories in Wyenshawe and Sale to vote UKIP #CountryB4Party — Toby Young (@toadmeister) January 11, 2014 An interesting development in the past week has been a move by Tony Young to encourage CON>UKIP and UKIP>CON tactical voting in key marginal seats. Such schemes have been seen before between the reds and yellows but this is the first I’ve seen from…

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Osborne’s Gauntlet: How does Labour respond?

Osborne’s Gauntlet: How does Labour respond?

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Has the Chancellor just set the terms of debate through to 2015? Popular memory recalls George Osborne’s 2012 Budget as the Omnishambles.  Ed Miliband’s description was a little unfair, but only a little: any political event where opponents gain traction out of three separate criticisms of it is a PR shambles, whatever its other merits. It’s also – wrongly – remembered as the defining moment of the parliament in polling terms, from which Labour benefitted from a step-change increase.  Actually,…

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New guest slot poster, Innocent Abroad on “Betting Past the Tribe”

New guest slot poster, Innocent Abroad on “Betting Past the Tribe”

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(Innocent Abroad has been posting on PB for nearly 10 years and was the first to coin the term OGH. He’s now joined the guest slot writing team) Expect turnout to be lower next time One of the attractions of betting on politics, perhaps, is that, unlike, say, betting on horseracing, there are no rules: no authority – other than the law itself – to determine what is or is not improper conduct. It should therefore be borne in mind…

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Local By-Election Results : January 9th 2014

Local By-Election Results : January 9th 2014

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Haverhill East on St. Edmundsbury: UKIP 529, Lab 240, Con 157, Lib Dem 54 UKIP GAIN from Conservative Borough Green and Long Mill on Tonbridge and Malling (Con Defence) Result of last election to council (2011): Con 48, Lib Dem 4, Lab 1 (Conservative overall majority of 43) Independent 692 votes (39%), Conservative 588 votes (33%), Labour 84 votes (5%), Green 68 votes (4%) Independent GAIN from Conservative with a majority of 104 votes (6%) Overall Changes: Conservatives lose 2, Independents…

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The first Populus poll of 2014 sees LAB lead up 5 percent

The first Populus poll of 2014 sees LAB lead up 5 percent

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Overall LAB has had pretty steady start to 2014 This morning we’ve got the first Populus online survey of the year which has LAB back on 40% with CON down 2% to 33%. All just about within the margin of error. This follows the first week of YouGov daily polls which has had the Tories solidly on 32% with LAB ranging from 37% to 40%. The LDs have been on 9/10% while UKIP has been in the 12-14% range. All…

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Dramatic council by-election boost for UKIP in Suffolk

Dramatic council by-election boost for UKIP in Suffolk

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Huge UKIP GAIN from CON at Haverhill East on St Edmundsbury DC UKIP 529 Lab 240 Con 157 LD 54 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 10, 2014 If this is the shape of things to come all the main parties are in trouble Vote share changes from 2011 in the Haverhill, Suffolk, district council by election UKIP 54% +54 LAB 24.5% -12.7 CON 16% -31.9 LD 5.5% -9.4 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 10, 2014 The one qualification was that the turnout, at 18.5%, was very low. Even…

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