How GE2019 is being treated on the front pages
Here are some of today’s front pages and I don’t think there is anything as memorable as the Daily Mail at the same time in the process in 2017. There is much less Tory triumphalism. Its front page today is perhaps the most overtly political and highlights the twin worries for the Tories from the Lib Dems and the Brexit party which both threaten Johnson’s party in different ways.
To the Sun and the Daily Express this is all about finalising Brexit and no doubt that will be the theme of the coverage in the time 7 weeks. Their role will be in helping to be cheerleaders getting the vote out.
In many ways the weakest front page this morning is from the Daily Mirror which has the picture of Johnson as a turkey with the headline saying it’s time to stuff the turkey. There is no mention of Corbyn. This is anti the Tories and the PM and as yet not pro the current main opposition party.
The national newspapers, of course, are nothing like as important as they were given the fact that their circulations are a fraction of what they were even at the 2010 General Election which brought the Tories into government for the first time since 1997.
But having said that they are influential in helping set the news agenda overall tone of the campaign for the broadcasters.
In the betting overnight a CON majority peaked at 54% chance and is now back at evens.
THe only poll we’ve seen is this constituency one for Cambridge.
Meanwhile Survation have a Cambridge poll out with the LDs taking the seat from LAB
Cambridge Westminster voting intention:
LD: 39% (+10)
LAB: 30% (-22)
GRN: 12% (+10)
CON: 10% (-6)
BREX: 7% (+7)
, 16 – 17 Oct
Chgs. w/ 2017 result— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 29, 2019