politicalbetting.com

It seems difficult to believe that only a week ago we were still awaiting the European Parliamentary election results. Indeed, there’s been so much going on that it’s worth revisiting one of the more important announcements that could have profound betting implications. Gordon Brown’s statement to parliament last Wednesday floated various ideas under the broad headline of ‘democratic renewal’, amongst which was electoral reform, on which the government has promised “consultation”. It ought to be politically difficult for Labour to…

Read More Read More

What does Downing Street want from the election? In many ways the arch-Thatcherite turn progressive, John Bercow, seems the ideal candidate to replace Michael Martin. He’s bright, a good communicator and a record of not being beholden to any faction. If he gets elected a week on Monday you could see him operating in a totally independent manner that might just make life harder for Number 10. And it is this that makes me think that the chances of him…

Read More Read More

Are they reflecting a separate media contest? The election of a new Speaker of the House of Commons will take place on Monday June 22nd, with the Father of the House presiding from the Chair. Under the revised Standing Order number 1(b), the winner will be selected through several rounds of secret ballot preferential voting. The change in system obviously has a huge impact on the eventual victor, but it is only one of a number of significant changes since…

Read More Read More

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c Indecision 2009 – Everywhere but Here Edition thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Newt Gingrich Unedited Interview

Will we see a repeat of 2004-2005? The detailed data from today’s Populus poll shows UKIP on a 7% share for the next general election and that the party is taking almost one on ten of those interviewed who voted Tory in 2005. This is a serious erosion of Tory support and could, if sustained, have a serious impact on Cameron’s dream of becoming Prime Minister of a majority government after the election. But will the UKIP surge continue to…

Read More Read More

Are there lessons you’ve learned for the future? Throughout Monday night, when the Euro results were coming in, the number that meant most to my betting positions was the turnout percentage. My initial call to take the Hills’ 5/1 that it would be below 30% had been ditched once I’d seen the postal voting numbers. My next bet up was 11/4 for the 30 – 34.99% range and a four figure sum was at stake as the numbers came in…

Read More Read More

Is the American view of us fair? Paul Waugh in the Evening Standard has picked up on the cover article in the latest Time Magazine which is headed “Why Britain wants to see the back of Gordon Brown”. It’s well worth the read and interesting to see how this all looks from an American perspective. One interesting quote from the piece is this one in which British politics are described as a “contact sport” – something I’ve never heard it…

Read More Read More

Would it really block the Tories out forever? I suppose that this has been a period for ranting and perhaps I’ve been as guilty as anyone but have the Tories got the voting reform debate all wrong? Just read this description from Janet Daly for tomorrow’s Telegraph: “.. it is the most shameless attempt to rig the electoral process in living memory. What the “alternative vote” would mean is that it would be virtually impossible for the Conservatives ever to…

Read More Read More