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Author: TSE

Surely Douglas Carswell can’t remain in UKIP for much longer, can he?

Surely Douglas Carswell can’t remain in UKIP for much longer, can he?

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Embed from Getty Images Just before Christmas, Douglas Carswell UKIP’s sole MP received an interesting present from former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who effectively told Carswell to begat off. Douglas Carswell should not be in Ukip, Nigel Farage has said of the party’s only MP, despite vowing not to interfere in internal politics after stepping down as leader. Relations between Farage and the Clacton MP have soured since Carswell’s high-profile defection from the Conservatives in 2014. “He shouldn’t be in the…

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Alastair Meeks on what we don’t know about Copeland

Alastair Meeks on what we don’t know about Copeland

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Early next year we have an intriguing by-election lined up.  The day after Parliament rose for its recess, Jamie Reed announced that he would be standing down as MP for Copeland to take up a role at Sellafield.  This sent commentators scrabbling for their atlases and constituency guides.  The following salient facts have been noted: Copeland and its predecessor seat Whitehaven have been Labour-held since 1935. The Labour majority is, however, just 7% over the Conservatives. No sitting government has…

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Six months on with little information from Mrs May what should Leavers be doing now?

Six months on with little information from Mrs May what should Leavers be doing now?

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Alastair Meeks continues his post-BREXIT analysis Yesterday I looked at how Remainers should look to the future.  Today I turn to Leavers.  This should be equally bracing. As a group, Leavers seem oddly discontented with their victory in the summer.  It’s as if, like the Sex Pistols, they didn’t know what they wanted but they knew how to get it.  Ever since, the quest to discover what Brexit means has continued, with only the most loyal Conservatives happy with the…

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What’s missing this Christmas is any sign of peace and goodwill between LEAVE and REMAIN

What’s missing this Christmas is any sign of peace and goodwill between LEAVE and REMAIN

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Alastair Meeks on “The Remains of the Day” It’s coming up to six months since the referendum and there doesn’t seem to be much sign of peace or goodwill in the Christmas period between Remain and Leave.  Remain-supporting newspaper op-ed writers vituperate the behaviour of Leavers.   Leave-supporting newspaper op-ed writers screech at the perfidy of Remainers.  On Twitter, the Brexit debate has become egg-bound. Nor is this confined to the empty vessels making the most noise.  Opinion polls consistently show…

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The plan for a progressive alliance might have an itsy bitsy teenie weenie flaw with it

The plan for a progressive alliance might have an itsy bitsy teenie weenie flaw with it

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How the 2015 general election result would look like under different voting systems by The @electoralreform Societyhttps://t.co/Gyvm8kJbyt pic.twitter.com/DPwiWsYk99 — TSE (@TSEofPB) December 18, 2016 With Leave polling 52% and the Tories & UKIP regularly polling around 50% plus in the polls a progressive alliance might be doomed. In recent weeks we’ve seen much talk of a progressive alliance to stop the Tories/Brexit/Right wing populism, and with the result of the Richmond Park by election that talk has ceased to be…

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An indication that we’re heading for a very flaccid Brexit?

An indication that we’re heading for a very flaccid Brexit?

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Well this a headline I thought I'd never see. Liam Fox talking about remaining in the customs union. https://t.co/dDfzc2hy7T pic.twitter.com/t05fz3G3WB — TSE (@TSEofPB) December 18, 2016 Intriguing Liam Fox interview on #Marr, says he'll accept Cabinet decision on EU deal, even if it's staying in Customs Union + transition. — Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) December 18, 2016 I have to admit this surprised me, I’ve always had Liam Fox down as one of the staunchest Leavers in the Tory Party…

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The sow’s ear, Britain’s approach to Brexit negotiations

The sow’s ear, Britain’s approach to Brexit negotiations

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How should Britain approach the farewell negotiations with the rest of the EU? David Davis indirectly confirmed that the Government has yet to reach an agreed line when he told Hillary Benn in Parliament on 14 December that the Government’s plan would only be published when it was ready. On the one hand it is refreshing that the Government is no longer pretending that its silence is based on the principle that loose lips sink Brexits.  On the other, it…

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POLL ALERT: Polling Matters / Opinium: Voters back ‘soft Brexit’ but reject second referendum – even if the economy worsens

POLL ALERT: Polling Matters / Opinium: Voters back ‘soft Brexit’ but reject second referendum – even if the economy worsens

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Embed from Getty Images   The first poll commissioned by the ‘Polling Matters’ podcast, conducted by Opinium, shows little appetite for another referendum but we shouldn’t assume voters want a ‘hard Brexit’ either writes Keiran Pedley Since the EU referendum result was announced last June, many have sought to explain on behalf of voters why they voted the way they did and therefore surmise what they want from any Brexit deal. To try and understand what is really going on…

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