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Could Swine Flu prove the joker in the pack? Looking at the Politics Home news charts, which measures the column inches of each major story, the largest rises are the news that Shadow Chancellor George Osborne is to be investigated over his expenses, and that Health Secretary Andy Burnham has warned the Commons that Britain could see 100,000 cases of Swine Flu per day by August. Like BSE and Foot’n’Mouth in years past, nothing dominates news coverage like a domestic…

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Will this focus attention on the issue of ‘privatisation’? Two big news stories in the last day or so – the postponement of the partial sale of Royal Mail (Lord Mandelson cited current economic circumstances, and potential buyers being unable to offer deals that were value for money), and the temporary nationalisation of the East Coast Line rail franchise by Lord Adonis. The Royal Mail part-privatisation delay will mollify union opposition (who are, let us not forget, Alan Johnson’s base…

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Will it be another knife-wielding Chancellor? I tend to make a point of looking to the First Post for particularly juicy scoops, and yet again they have delivered. Their article from ‘the Mole’ yesterday indicates that the growing feud at the top of Government is between Chancellor Alistair Darling and First Secretary of State Lord Mandelson. Mandelson had trampled on Treasury toes by announcing that the Comprehensive Spending Review would be delayed until after the next election – the Treasury…

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What line might Cameron take today? It could be a tricky PMQs today for Gordon Brown – I’d expect him to take heavy fire over the refusal to completely scrap the ID cards programme, and wouldn’t be surprised if Ed Ball’s recent spat with Fraser Nelson of the Spectator didn’t earn a mention (here is the story, see also a definition of the Streisand Effect). After Greg Hands MP complained that the PM and Schools Secretary not only failed to…

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Does this suggest Johnson is still angling for the top job? There is still a large school of thought that thinks Brown will be allowed to step aside with dignity before the next election, and that such a promise was given to stop him being ousted in an ugly coup a month ago. Alan Johnson, who reputedly had a leadership campaign ready to launch, was suddenly promoted to Home Secretary, and the general feeling of those who doubt Brown will…

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Might the final fence cause problems? This has to go down as one of the best contests, and best betting opportunities, we’ve had in British politics for a while. There are markets now on the number of rounds of voting that will be required, as well as for which candidate might be victorious. Betting links to support PB.com, as always, at the bottom of this article. I was trying to plot out the new election system this week, and the…

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Are they reflecting a separate media contest? The election of a new Speaker of the House of Commons will take place on Monday June 22nd, with the Father of the House presiding from the Chair. Under the revised Standing Order number 1(b), the winner will be selected through several rounds of secret ballot preferential voting. The change in system obviously has a huge impact on the eventual victor, but it is only one of a number of significant changes since…

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Get the TweetElect09: Watch in real time what people say widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Who will be laughing and who will be crying? So tonight sees the release of the results of the European Parliamentary Elections – 736 MEPs (plus 18 ‘virtual MEPs’ who will be seated if the Lisbon Treaty is passed) will be elected by and electorate of 350 million potential voters from 27 countries containing 500 million citizens. The Dutch have already…

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