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The real cost of Corbyn’s reshuffle — Labour is talking about itself not what voters care about.

The real cost of Corbyn’s reshuffle — Labour is talking about itself not what voters care about.

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Donald Brind – from a Labour perspective I woke up this morning to hear a devastating critique of the Chancellor George Osborne’s record on the Today programme. Under him “we haven’t rebalanced the economy towards manufacturing, exports and the regions .. fixing the roof when the sun shines never happened.” A perfect script for the Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell you might think but this was, in fact, John Longworth, head of the British Chambers of Commerce speaking. He had just…

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Just one local by-election tonight – a LAB defence

Just one local by-election tonight – a LAB defence

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Botchery (Lab defence) on Carlisle Result of council at last election (2015): Conservatives 29, Labour 20, United Kingdom Independence Party 2, Liberal Democrats 1 (Conservative majority of 6) Result of ward at last election (2015): Labour 822 (33%), Independent 725 (29%), Conservative 516 (21%), United Kingdom Independence Party 345 (14%), Green Party 75 (3%) Candidates duly nominated: Rob Curry (Con), Stephen Sidgwick (Lab), Jack Paton (Ind) Result of ward at past elections (1999 – 2011) 2011: Labour 720 (50%), Independent…

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Star War images: Jedi Jezza and Stormtrooper Osbo

Star War images: Jedi Jezza and Stormtrooper Osbo

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The Donald Brind column – from a Labour perspective An old joke was given fresh legs just before Christmas when George Osborne set out to sprinkle some stardust on his image with an appearance at the premiere of Star Wars. Q. Why did 4,000 people boo George Osborne? A. Because that’s how many the cinema holds. In the original version it was the 80,000 capacity of the Olympic stadium that limited the opprobrium heaped on the Chancellor during the 2012…

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Local By-Election Review 2015 : Part One

Local By-Election Review 2015 : Part One

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Running before the Storm : Before the General Election (24 local by-elections) It was fairly obvious as soon as Big Ben chimed midnight ushering in the arrival of 2015 that everyone’s mind would instantly focus on the general election (indeed some of the parties started campaigning almost immediately the Christmas decorations came down) but local by-elections are no respecter of national campaigns and within days of those decorations coming down the local by-election circus started up again in Bolsover where…

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Three words pollsters would rather you didn’t mention; differential non response

Three words pollsters would rather you didn’t mention; differential non response

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A special column by ex-ICM boss & polling pioneer, Nick Sparrow While trumpeting the fact that samples are representative of the adult population, researchers seldom, if ever, publish response rate data. Truth is that for telephone polls, response rates are frighteningly low and falling. The reasons for this are varied, but include the fact that many of us have become wary of calls from strangers, having been bombarded with unsolicited sales calls and by “suggers”, the industry term for people…

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Local By-Election Preview : December 23rd 2015

Local By-Election Preview : December 23rd 2015

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Grendon, Underwood and Brill (Con defence) on Aylesbury Vale Result of council at last election (2015): Conservatives 43, Liberal Democrats 9, United Kingdom Independence Party 4, Labour 2, Independent 1 (Conservative majority of 27) Result of ward at last election (2015): Conservative 1,068 (55%), United Kingdom Independence Party 427 (22%), Green Party 246 (13%), Liberal Democrats 213 (11%) Candidates duly nominated: Cameron Branston (Con), Gary Good (UKIP), Julian Newman (Lib Dem) Aylesbury Vale is perhaps a fitting way to end…

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Corbyn supporters are a broad church. Labour MPs worried that he is leading them to defeat need to engage with their new members.

Corbyn supporters are a broad church. Labour MPs worried that he is leading them to defeat need to engage with their new members.

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The Donald Brind column: From a Labour perspective “I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.” – George Bernard Shaw. The Shavian quote was offered to me by the wise and erudite Lewis Baston after I recounted to him a Twitter spat with blogger Dan Hodges. For the avoidance of doubt, Hodges, who hails from a Labour family but earns his living from the Telegraph and the Spectator, is…

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Local By-Election Result (December 16th 2015) and Local By-Election Preview : December 17th 2015

Local By-Election Result (December 16th 2015) and Local By-Election Preview : December 17th 2015

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Gogarth (Con defence) on Conwy Result: Conservative 318 (42% +12%), Labour 187 (25% -3%), Plaid Cymru 167 (22% +10%), Liberal Democrat 49 (7%), Independent 28 (4% -26%) Conservative HOLD with a majority of 131 (17%) on a swing of 7.5% from Labour to Conservative Kensal Green (Lab defence) on Brent Result of council at last election (2014): Labour 56, Conservatives 6, Liberal Democrat 1 (Labour majority of 49) Result of ward at last election (2014): Embooldened denotes elected Labour 1,819,…

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