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Category: General Election

Punters unmoved by the Northern Rock annoucement

Punters unmoved by the Northern Rock annoucement

Is nationalisation really going to have no electoral impact? Even though some are calling it “Labour’s Black Wednesday” there has been very little movement in the general election most seats betting following yesterday’s announcement by Alistair Darling that Northern Rock. The chart showing betting prices as implied probabilities has hardly changed on the past week. It’s the same with the spread betting markets where punters buy and sell the number of seats the parties will get at the election as…

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Is “The Age of Labour” coming to an end?

Is “The Age of Labour” coming to an end?

On a morning that has seen a second national opinion poll showing Labour an election-losing 9% behind there is a provocative piece from the Independent on Sunday’s veteran commentator, Alan Watkins. He argues, in his own style, that quite simply that the age of Labour is dead. He writes: “..Mr David Cameron is doing well but not quite well enough. In view of various disasters for the Government since October, he ought to be miles ahead in the polls. That…

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Should Gord stop doing all the announcements?

Should Gord stop doing all the announcements?

Can he win the election as a one-man band? This morning the main news on the BBC politics page is yet another announcement from Gordon Brown – this time to give extra benefits to members of poor families who agree to return to work and sign up to skills training courses. Fine – but why isn’t the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, allowed to lead on this? For Denham is one of the most effective…

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Does US TV put BBC election coverage to shame?

Does US TV put BBC election coverage to shame?

Why can’t they focus on results and analysis not the spectacle? Like many site visitors, no doubt, I have been spending at least one night a week during 2008 following the absorbing story of the race for the White House on the internet and on the US news channels that are available here. And I have been mighty impressed by the latter which put the fare that the BBC and others produce in the UK to shame. What the Americans…

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How will Lib Dem activists view this?

How will Lib Dem activists view this?

How big a risk is Nick Clegg taking? You don’t have to spend much time ploughing through the comments on PBC to work out that the most ferocious attacks on the Tories are not from Labour supporters but from Lib Dems. Those who work for the party in areas where the Conservatives are their main opponents are usually the most vocal – and this is reciprocated. So how are these Lib Dem supporters going to view the statements today by…

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It’s back to a smiling Gordon with Ipsos-Mori

It’s back to a smiling Gordon with Ipsos-Mori

Is Gord’s party really doing better than in 2005? The results of Ipsos-Mori January face to face survey of more than 2000 people are just out and give Labour a one point lead – a huge change on the last survey by the pollster just three weeks ago. Unlike this survey the earlier poll was by phone. These are the latest shares with comparisons on the earlier survey CON 37% (-5): LAB 38% (+6): LD 16% (+1). The fieldwork took…

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Do you think Gordon will see this as a threat?

Do you think Gordon will see this as a threat?

What does Labour do now the Tories are not seen “the nasty party”? The front page of this morning’s Guardian is dominated by a report that groups of Labour modernisers, including cabinet minsters, are planning to tell Brown to offer a more radical reform programme to help beat off the Tory threat in the centre ground. Linked to a paper from the Progress thinktank the group is arguing that the political landscape has changed, that the opposition is perceived differently…

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