Are we seeing a re-run of the politics of the 60s and 70s? With council workers starting two days of strikes this morning there’s almost a 1960s and 1970s feel to the way the political scene is evolving. For in the run-up to the last time that a Labour government lost power, in 1979, it was public sector industrial action – the so-called “winter of discontent – that dominated the agenda and paved the way for Mrs. Thatcher. Only five…
Could Blair have impeded the Tory surge? On Friday I got into an argument with the Labour-leaning blogger I have most respect for, Paul Linford, over what would have happened to the party if Tony had not stepped down in June 2007. I felt that Labour would be doing better – Paul disagreed. He argued: “..Sure, there was a grudging recognition among the public that Blair “deserved†his ten years, but they were absolutely sick to the back teeth of…
It’s back to a 22% Labour deficit The second poll of the night, the monthly YouGov poll for the Sunday Times has the following with changes on the last published survey by the pollster for the Daily Telegraph a fortnight ago. CON 47%(+1): LAB 25%(-3): LD 18%(+3) The ICM poll showing a Labour lead of 14% in Glasgow East was covered in the previous thread. The YouGov survey will come as something of a blow for Labour because the previous…
The markets now suggest a majority of just 26 seats Our latest Friday evening general election countdown slot is devoted to the spread betting markets on the number of seats each of the parties will end up with – something which with all the focus on the by elections we have not looked at for a month. With both Spreadfair and the SportingIndex markets there has been a distinct move away from the Tories and both markets are now suggesting…
Does their failure suggest that anti-Tory voting is drying up? In all the analysis of the H&H numbers very little attention is being paid to the Green party which is making great play this morning of their 7.4% in Haltemprice and Howden – their candidate’s site suggests it’s a party record. But in the absence of Labour and the Liberal Democrat candidates you would have thought that the Greens, the only other nationally known party with MEPs and councillors, would…
“Jack Straw becomes PM and calls an immediate election!!!” However much Number 10 might not like it the speculation about the future of the Labour government and Gordon Brown continues unabated. It’s hard to talk to anybody involved in politics without the conversation turning to this. This morning the Indy’s sketch writer, Simon Carr, posted an interesting piece on the paper’s Open House blog based on what some “special advisors” are said to be kicking “kicking around”. This would see…
Will Brown regret his reply to Cameron? Ever since the budget in March the potential for an explosion over the vehicle excise duty changes has been hovering in the background. Applying higher rates to vehicles that pollute the most was in line with existing green policy and Darling’s plan to impose the regime on existing vehicles as well as new purchases did not attract all that much immediate comment. In June, when Cameron pressed Brown hard on the issue he…
How will the poor takes lessons on their plight from an Old-Etonian? A day after Gordon Brown was lecturing us about not wasting food the Times is splashing Cameron’s speech yesterday when he said that some of those “who are poor, fat or addicted to alcohol or drugs have only themselves to blame.” The report goes on:“In a conscious shift of strategy, the Tory leader said he would not shirk from discussing public morality and claimed that social problems were…