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David Cameron: the second most popular prime minister?

David Cameron: the second most popular prime minister?

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Mark Gill looks at the PM’s ratings ahead of today’s speech Prime minister David Cameron goes to Manchester as the second most popular of the last five prime ministers at the stage of their second party conferences. In Ipsos MORI’s September 2011 survey Camerons’s approval ratings were 39% satisfied and 52% dissatisfied, giving a net score of -13. This compares favourably against the -45 net approval for Brown (in Sept 2008), -27 for Major (in Sept 1992) and -23 for…

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Another “late licence” at PB’s NightHawks Cafe…

Another “late licence” at PB’s NightHawks Cafe…

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After the announcement of Christie not joining the GOP nomination race, and ahead of Cameron’s speech tomorrow, there’s also been a poll from Opinium: Lab 40 (+4) Con 33 (-) LD 9 (-) Others 18 (+4) Thanks again to Marf for the cartoon and to all the contributors helping to keep PB going while Mike is in Andalucía. Double Carpet www.electiongame.co.uk @electiongame

Was it the women who cost the Tories an overall majority?

Was it the women who cost the Tories an overall majority?

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Do the blues have a long-term problem? There is currently a great deal of speculation that the Conservatives are failing to appeal to women voters and the party will suffer electorally because of this. Tories are right to be worried about the gender gap, but not necessarily about what has happened since the last general election. At the general election, the Conservatives enjoyed a 10 point lead over Labour among men (38% to 28%), but only a 5 point lead…

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London Statto looks at Labour’s planned new franchise

London Statto looks at Labour’s planned new franchise

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Is giving 3% to party “supporters” a gimmick This morning we should get the result of the vote on the proposal to open the party’s leadership election to “registered supporters” as well as the three existing sections of the electoral college – party members, MPs/MEPs and, ofcourse, the affiliates (essentially, as we know, the trades unions). The proposal is that the registered supporters will have 3% of the vote once a threshold of 50,000 registered supporters is reached, increasing to…

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Henry G Manson on the challenges facing EdM

Henry G Manson on the challenges facing EdM

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How’s the leader going to do next week? The nature of Ed Miliband’s election victory a year ago has proved to be an occasionally irritating backdrop in what has been a rollercoaster year for the leader. From addressing the TUC rally in March, robotically opposing industrial action in June and pulling out of the Durham Miners Gala in July, Ed has failed to develop a clear position with regards to the unions. This has culminated in a combination of proposals…

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Can Labour ever form a Coalition with Clegg’s Lib Dems?

Can Labour ever form a Coalition with Clegg’s Lib Dems?

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Henry G Manson on what happens with another hung parliament I’m reasonably confident Labour is currently heading for hung parliament territory. Without a significant burst of support Ed Miliband’s Labour seems likely to struggle to achieve an outright majority – particularly given the boundary changes. If Labour were to become the largest party (and by no means is this a given) then it begs the question how would/could Labour work with the Liberal Democrats? The Labour Party has in many…

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Will NHS chaos be an election issue for Cameron?

Will NHS chaos be an election issue for Cameron?

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Henry G Manson on the health changes In a speech to the Royal College of Nurses GPs in 2008 David Cameron won applause for his election pledge against “pointless top-down reorganisation that aim for change but just bring chaos.” Yet ‘chaos’ is surely a considerable risk now. The biggest restructuring of the NHS since it was created, contradictions running throughout the revised Health and Social Care Bill alongside £20 billion of efficiency saving targets. Oh and let’s not forget the…

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