Is Ming right about the implications of the latest developments? As expected the Sunday papers provide a lot more information about the gag that was placed on BBC news on Friday night following its plans to cover a “new development” in the cash for honours probe that has now been going on for a year. Reproduced above is the coverage from the News of the World web-site which quotes a Crown Prosecution Service source who is reported to have said:…
After the suggestions on Paul Lindford’s blog and this site about John Denham being a credible candidate for the Labour leadership there is now backing for the idea in today’s Guardian by the former defence minister, Peter Kilfoyle. Denham’s great plus point was that he resigned his post as a Home Office minster over the Iraq War – an issue that continues to hang over the Labour party. On Monday I argued that if by any chance that Denham got…
Will the “Britishness” thing help or hinder Brown’s leadership bid? Watching Gordon Brown launch the latest stage of his of his Britishness agenda on the bulletins last night I could not help but thinking that he is making precisely the same mistakes that Michael Howard made in the run up to the 2005 General Election. Then it will be recalled that the Tory leader stepped up the rhetoric and dog whistles against groups like immigrants and travellers in an effort…
What about the minister who had the guts to resign over Iraq? After a weekend which has seen repeated media calls for Brown to face a proper challenge for the leadership his price has eased further on the betting markets. Just a week ago a £100 winning Brown bet would have produced a profit of £19 – today such a wager offers £27. But the big question that those betting against the Chancellor have to ask is – if not…
Blair planning to quit as an MP as soon as he steps down – report According to what is billed as an “exclusive” by the News of the World this morning Tony Blair is planning to step down as MP immediately after leaving Downing Street this summer. The paper says “He has told members of his local Labour Party in the north-east he does not want to “get in the way on the back benches..He had privately agreed to stay…
The internet pollster reinforces the trend picked up by ICM Today’s YouGov poll in the Daily Telegraph shows almost no change in the overall voting intentions on the last survey by the internet pollster – but provides more evidence following this week’s ICM poll of growing doubts on the electoral appeal of the Chancellor, Gordon Brown. The headline figures are with changes on the last YouGov survey two and a half weeks ago are:- CON 37% (nc): LAB 32% (nc):…
Will Labour MPs respond to the Guardian’s call for Brown to be challenged? This is the front page of the Guardian that will be screaming out across newstands throughout the UK this morning and it looks as though it has been designed deliberately to make it as damaging as possible for the Chancellor. For as any newspaper man or woman will tell you it is what appears “above the fold” that matters – and with the numbers 29-42 splashed there…
Meanwhile the Guardian continues its barrage against Brown The chart shows the changing betting exchange prices in the Labour leadership markets where for the the Environment Secretary, David Miliband, has now taken over as second favourite from the Home Secretary, John Reid. This is a big change and reflects, in part, the heavy media backing that seems to be gathering round, first, the idea of a proper challenge to Gordon and secondly for Miliband himself. The latter has, of course,…