Labour’s Parliamentary pain is not just bad for Labour, but for the country as a whole

Labour’s Parliamentary pain is not just bad for Labour, but for the country as a whole

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  Joff Wild on the divides in the main opposition party Today’s Daily Telegraph ran an intriguing piece about plans being hatched by some Labour MPs if, as expected, Jeremy Corbyn wins the party’s leadership election in September. According to the newspaper’s political correspondent Ben Riley-Smith, rebels are exploring the possibility of setting up a semi-independent party in the Commons that would have its own leader and front bench, and would aim to replace Corbyn’s Labour as the official opposition….

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Time to put UK primaries to bed

Time to put UK primaries to bed

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Elitism has a rightful place in politics A colleague told me this week that she felt let down that she couldn’t vote in the Conservative leadership contest. Never mind that her politics are somewhere between Jeremy Corbyn and Natalie Bennett, or that I – like the rest of the voluntary section of the Conservative Party – didn’t get a vote in the leadership contest, she’s of the opinion that everyone should be entitled to have a say in the internal…

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The LDs winning streak continues in the latest round of local elections – now 7 gains in July

The LDs winning streak continues in the latest round of local elections – now 7 gains in July

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Harry Hayfield’s round-up contests in principal auhorities Newlyn and Goonhavern (Con defence) on Cornwall Result: Liberal Democrat 247 (24%, no candidate in 2013), Conservative 234 (23% -23%), Yeo (Independent) 163 (16%), Mebyon Kernow 161 (16% -28%), Labour 77 (8% -2%), Tucker (Independent) 75 (7%), Thomas (Independent) 54 (5%) Total Independent vote: 292 (29%, no candidates in 2012) Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative with a majority of 13 (1%) on a notional swing of 23.5% from Conservative to Liberal Democrat Harringay…

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WH2016 – updated polling and betting

WH2016 – updated polling and betting

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My WH2016 National polling table. I'll be doing key state surveys soon. pic.twitter.com/re3wHD9yA0 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) July 29, 2016 90 day Betfair WH2016 chart pic.twitter.com/wPHyIr5CQu — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) July 29, 2016

Now let’s see if Hillary gets a polling bounce that out does Trump’s last week

Now let’s see if Hillary gets a polling bounce that out does Trump’s last week

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I didn’t stay up overnight to watch Hillary Clinton’s acceptance speech at the end of the Democratic convention but it seems to have been well received. The betting markets have moved a notch back towards here but we need to see a full range of post convention polling before we can start drawing conclusions. If the polling averages from next Monday onwards are just showing this to be level pegging then Trump could be said to be the winner of…

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Harry Hayfield’s local elections report: What’s happened so far this week & tonight’s preview

Harry Hayfield’s local elections report: What’s happened so far this week & tonight’s preview

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Two good performances already for the Lib Dems RESULT July 26 The Hangers and Forest (Con defence) on East Hampshire Result of council at last election (2015): Conservatives 42, Liberal Democrats 2 (Conservative majority of 40) Result of ward at last election (2015): Conservative 983 (69%), Independent 257 (18%), Labour 184 (13%) Referendum Result: REMAIN 37,346 (51%) LEAVE 36,576 (49%) on a turnout of 82% Candidates duly nominated: Keith Budden (Con), Don Jerrard (Justice and Anti Corruption), Roger Mullenger (Lib…

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Corbyn remains on the ballot and doesn’t require nominations as Labour donor loses court case

Corbyn remains on the ballot and doesn’t require nominations as Labour donor loses court case

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https://twitter.com/peterwalker99/status/758648548586098688 https://twitter.com/peterwalker99/status/758649170504843264 https://twitter.com/peterwalker99/status/758649630049570816 Corbyn set to win his 2nd Lab leadership race in a year. His fans will say shows he's a winner as Blair only won 1 pic.twitter.com/a6HHnrFOJq — TSE (@TSEofPB) July 28, 2016 TSE

US election round-up following Obama’s convention speech and Trump’s call to Russia

US election round-up following Obama’s convention speech and Trump’s call to Russia

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Front page of today's New York Daily News pic.twitter.com/WkV37TpBPj — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) July 28, 2016 Pew Research projection of make up of the US electorate showing how its becoming much more diverse pic.twitter.com/UlTYAuFbbX — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) July 28, 2016 Very powerful speech by Obama at Democratic Convention. One of his best ever https://t.co/wMjLml0Scf — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) July 28, 2016