In praise of Jeremy Corbyn

In praise of Jeremy Corbyn

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There’s a danger that we’re underestimating the Labour leader Outside of the Corbynites, the idée reçue amongst most of us is that Jeremy Corbyn leading Labour at a general election is going to lead Labour to experiencing an extinction level electoral defeat. On my most charitable days I’ll say Jeremy Corbyn has only two flaws, everything he says, and everything he does, but I’m going to challenge that perception and defend Jeremy Corbyn. Jeremy Corbyn – A very thick skinned politician One…

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Joff Wild on Jeremy Corbyn and an impending constitutional crisis

Joff Wild on Jeremy Corbyn and an impending constitutional crisis

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As leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition Jeremy Corbyn receives a salary of close to £138,000 per annum. On top of this, of course, he gets expenses and a generous pension package. Last week, he told us that he does not consider himself wealthy. Some may wonder whether a politician so out of touch with reality can ever be taken seriously, but not, it seems, a majority of Labour members; for on 24th September it is almost certainly going…

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This is why Mrs May will be unlikely to hold an early election

This is why Mrs May will be unlikely to hold an early election

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Boundary changes resulting from cutting the number of MPs from 650 to 600 could exacerbate Labour divisions as well as boosting the Tories. The Guardian are reporting that leading psephologist and former Tory MP Lord Hayward has looked at the forthcoming boundary review/reduction in the number of MPs, Two hundred Labour seats – more than 85% of the party’s total – could be affected by the review of parliamentary boundaries due next month, according to a detailed analysis of the…

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A tribute to Sir Antony Jay

A tribute to Sir Antony Jay

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Earlier on this week Sir Antony Jay, co-creator and writer of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister died. For my mind, both shows remain timeless, there’s the above clip about how leading questions can influence polling results, though the scene above was in the days before the BPC. The scene below is probably even more relevant in these post EU referendum days. But there many other clips I could have used to show the genius of this show. TSE

Going to war with Sir Richard Branson might not necessarily develop to Corbyn’s advantage

Going to war with Sir Richard Branson might not necessarily develop to Corbyn’s advantage

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Labour calls for Richard Branson to be STRIPPED of his knighthoodhttps://t.co/lNpP6bd71z pic.twitter.com/3k9K9bPbCL — Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics) August 27, 2016 Corbyn needs better strategists advising him, the current bunch aren’t very good on current evidence. The Sunday Mirror have an article up by the Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell. Labour is calling for Richard Branson to be stripped of his knighthood following his bid to humiliate Jeremy Corbyn over Traingate. Writing exclusively in the Sunday Mirror, Shadow Chancellor John ­McDonnell slams the…

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The Purge: Election Year

The Purge: Election Year

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I'm very concerned that some people seem to have been unfairly removed from the ability to vote in this electionhttps://t.co/S06ugwENc1 — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 26, 2016 Are these signs that Corbyn isn’t confident of winning the leadership election? Yesterday Jeremy Corbyn said he ‘fear[ed]some of his supporters may have been “unfairly” barred from voting in the party’s leadership election. He has handed a list of names to party officials, saying he wants a “fair and open” contest, with all those…

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The curtain lifted a little this week on Labour’s civil war and it’s not pretty

The curtain lifted a little this week on Labour’s civil war and it’s not pretty

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Whoever wins in a month, the struggle will go on Power struggles are the nature of politics. Usually, the public gets to glimpse only a fraction of the battles waged behind closed doors in what were once smoke-filled rooms. Outsiders end up having to engage in their own form of Kremlinology to work out what’s really going on: piecing together patterns in offhand comments, unattributed press briefings and articles, planted Commons questions or unruly (or unusually quiet) supporters. The proliferation…

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August Local By-Election Summary and Important Notice

August Local By-Election Summary and Important Notice

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The Lochs (Non Party Independent defence) on Fife Result: Labour 1,318 (47% +1%), Scottish National Party 1,079 (39% +20%), Conservative 270 (10% +7%), Communist 86 (3%, no candidate in 2012), Green Party 45 (2%, no candidate in 2012) Labour GAIN from Non Party Independent on the fourth count with a lead of 239 (8%) on a swing of 9.5% from Lab to SNP By-Election Summary : August 2016 Labour 10,865 votes (30% -1% on last time) winning 6 seats (unchanged…

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