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Two Lib Dem defences and one SNP one in tonight’s local by-elections

Two Lib Dem defences and one SNP one in tonight’s local by-elections

Huntly, Strathbogie and the Howe of Alford on Aberdeenshire (SNP and Lib Dem defence) Result of council at last election (2012): Scottish National Party 28, Conservatives 14, Liberal Democrats 12, Independents 11, Labour 2, Green Party 1 (No Overall Control, SNP short by 7) Result of ward at last election (2012) : Emboldened denotes elected Scottish National Party 830, 600 (35%) Conservatives 1,091 (27%) Liberal Democrats 752 (18%) Independents 593 (14%) Green Party 256 (6%) Candidates duly nominated: Sarah Flavell…

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Nick Palmer: An EU referendum REMAIN victory is a 75% chance

Nick Palmer: An EU referendum REMAIN victory is a 75% chance

The factions that’ll make up the EU referendum battle In my last article, I argued that voters weren’t yet paying attention to the EU debate, but that I thought IN would win in the end. This article explains why. One of the charms of The Game of Thrones is the sheer variety of interacting factions, feuding, allying, and eyeing each other in guarded and temporary neutrality. The EU referendum is going to be just like that. It’s possible to identify…

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Tonight’s PB quickie poll and this week’s local elections results

Tonight’s PB quickie poll and this week’s local elections results

Tonight's Politicalbetting pollWill George Osborne be David Cameron's successor as CON leader? — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 30, 2015 Risedale on Barrow in Furness (Lab defence) Result: Labour 428 (53% -24%), United Kingdom Independence Party 193 (24% +1%), Conservative 187 (23%, no candidate in 2015) Labour HOLD with a majority of 235 (29%) on a swing of 12.5% from Lab to UKIP Shenfield on Brentwood (Lib Dem defence) Result: Conservative 852 (57% +19%), Liberal Democrat 483 (33% -11%), United Kingdom…

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Frank “Houdini” Field leads the fight against MP deselection

Frank “Houdini” Field leads the fight against MP deselection

But Donald Brind wonders if this is a battle Labour should be having now? Labour’s veteran maverick Frank Field has put himself in the vanguard of MPs getting ready to fight deselection. There could be no better leader for those fearful about the perceived threat from Corbynistas in their constituencies. In his 36 years as MP for Birkenhead he has survived three attempts to oust him. The most serious was in 1989, a battle I covered for the BBC. We…

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Local By-Election Preview : October 29th 2015 – 3 Con, 2 Lab and 1 Lib Dem defences

Local By-Election Preview : October 29th 2015 – 3 Con, 2 Lab and 1 Lib Dem defences

Risedale on Barrow in Furness (Lab defence) Result of council at last election (2015): Labour 27, Conservative 9 (Labour majority of 18) Result of ward at last election (2015) : Emboldened denotes elected Labour 1,474, 1,361, 1,310 (77%) United Kingdom Independence Party 438, 348 (23%) Candidates duly elected: Michael Cassells (Lab), Carole Friend (Con), Colin Rudd (UKIP) For such a Labour heartland, Barrow and Furness’ constituency results have been, of late, anything but a heartland. At the 1992 general election…

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North American pointers for John McDonnell’s growth strategy

North American pointers for John McDonnell’s growth strategy

Don Brind on Friday The biopic of Steve Jobs had its premiere of at the London Film Festival last weekend. Just days before, the company he founded was in the dock in a New York court – and lost. The jury found that Apple had infringed patents held by the University of Wisconsin by using technology developed by University researchers in their I phones and IPods. The university is claiming $400 million in damages which would be a record patent…

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Local By-Election Preview : October 22nd 2015 – 4 Con and 2 Lab defences

Local By-Election Preview : October 22nd 2015 – 4 Con and 2 Lab defences

Tottington on Bury (Lab defence) Result of council at last election (2015): Labour 35, Conservatives 12, Independents 2, Liberal Democrats 2 (Labour majority of 19) Result of ward at last election (2012): Labour 1,085 (42%), Conservative 965 (38%), United Kingdom Independence Party 379 (15%), Liberal Democrat 135 (5%) Candidates duly nominated: David Foss (Lib Dem), Martin Hayes (Lab), Ian Henderson (UKIP), Greg Keeley (Con), John Southworth (Green) Bury is that sort of council that can either be a battleground council…

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For only the second time since May UKIP holds onto a ward in a local council by-election

For only the second time since May UKIP holds onto a ward in a local council by-election

Chatteris on Cambridgeshire (UKIP defence) Result: United Kingdom Independence Party 600 (41% +6%), Conservative 590 (40% +6%), Liberal Democrat 274 (19% -2%) United Kingdom Independence Party HOLD with a majority of 10 (1%) on a neglible swing from Conservative to United Kingdom Independence Party Howgate on Cumbria (Lab defence) Result: Labour 436 (48% -12%), Conservative 304 (33% +2%), United Kingdom Independence Party 176 (19%, no candidate in 2013) Labour HOLD with a majority of 132 (15%) on a swing of…

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