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Author: TSE

Will this be a vote winner for the Lib Dems?

Will this be a vote winner for the Lib Dems?

The Independent is reporting that A government-wide spending review is to be scaled back because Nick Clegg is refusing to commit to billions of pounds of further cuts in the welfare budget…whilst  the Liberal Democrats are likely to fight the election on a pledge to clear the remaining deficit through tax rises such as a mansion tax on homes worth more than £2m and a cut in the 40 per cent tax relief on pension contributions enjoyed by higher rate taxpayers….

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Will Osborne still be Chancellor at the General Election?

Will Osborne still be Chancellor at the General Election?

On Friday evening Standard and Poor reaffirmed  that the UK will continue to enjoy an AAA credit rating. This has been interpreted as a boost for George Osborne, after recent bad news of the 0.7% GDP contraction, that reinforced the fact we’re currently in a double-dip recession, and after heavy criticism of his general performance. As the Spectator notes Those three As and the low cost of borrowing are the trump cards he produces not just at key events like the…

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June Guardian ICM poll

June Guardian ICM poll

Labour maintains its 5% lead from last month.   Conservatives 34% (-2%) Labour 39% (-2%) Lib Dems 14% (+3%)   The Lib Dems will be very relieved to move away from their fifteen year low with ICM that they achieved last month. Before the adjustment for those who refused to say who they will vote for, the Labour lead would be 10%, which is in line with other pollsters,  but as the Guardian notes Past experience has demonstrated that this…

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How much of an influence will money have on the Independence referendum?

How much of an influence will money have on the Independence referendum?

and the 2015 General election? The Sunday Times reported over the weekend that the no campaign was in disarray, due to major unionist parties donors not willing to donate to the no campaign. Willie Haughey, a tycoon who has given Labour about £1.3m since 2003, is the latest in a series of wealthy unionist businessmen refusing to back the No campaign. Sir Jack Harvie, a Scottish construction tycoon who has raised about £16m for the Tories, has already made it…

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More bad news for George Osborne

More bad news for George Osborne

One news story that seems to have been missed during the Jubilee celebrations was the news that Rating agency Egan-Jones cut the credit rating for the United Kingdom on Monday to AA-minus with a negative outlook from AA. Despite all their recent problems, the one thing that George Osborne and the rest of the coalition have been able to say is our credit rating has been maintained, thanks to their stewardship. Whilst Egan-Jones isn’t a major player, If the three…

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