Alastair Meeks looks at the theory of referendum motivation

Alastair Meeks looks at the theory of referendum motivation

Comments 0 Comment

At the height of the Second World War, Abraham Maslow unveiled an important new theory of psychology.  Synthesising physical and higher needs, he arranged the drivers of human behaviour in the form of a pyramid.  At the bottom, he placed physiological needs – the physical impulses that drive every animal.  Above that he placed safety and security needs.  Rising further up the pyramid, he placed love and belongingness needs, the personal emotional connections.  Near the top of the pyramid, he…

Read More Read More

William Hill makes it 7/1 that Cameron will step down this year

William Hill makes it 7/1 that Cameron will step down this year

Comments 0 Comment

A good bet not? William Hill say political punters have been backing David Cameron to stand down as Tory leader either this year or next, in anticipation of either a defeat or only narrow win in the EU Referendum, which has to take place before the end of 2017. Hills currently offer 7/1 that Cameron will stand down this year, and 10/1 that he’ll go next. It is a 4/11 chance that the Referendum produces a ‘Stay’ result, 2/1 that…

Read More Read More

The hurdles Hillary has to surmount are getting higher

The hurdles Hillary has to surmount are getting higher

Comments 0 Comment

She might lose the nomination never mind the general election Eugene Debs must be grinning in his grave. OK, Bernie Sanders isn’t quite the firebrand radical that Debs was a hundred years ago but the notion that there is a credible route for a self-declared socialist to the White House is one that only a few months ago would have been dismissed with derision. Not now. Two polls released yesterday give the Independent Senator for Vermont genuine cause for hope….

Read More Read More

UKIP vote down sharply in all this week’s local by-elections

UKIP vote down sharply in all this week’s local by-elections

Comments 0 Comment

Crompton (Lab defence) on Bolton Result: Labour 1,961 (73% +13%), UKIP 320 (12% -9%), Conservative 302 (11% -1%), Liberal Democrat 117 (4% unchanged) Labour HOLD with a majority of 1,641 (61%) on a swing of 11% from UKIP to Labour Lower Stoke (Lab defence) on Coventry Result: Labour 1,235 (57% +10%), Conservative 344 (16% +1%), UKIP 290 (13% -11%), Green Party 165 (8% +1%), Liberal Democrat 124 (6%, no candidate in 2014) Labour HOLD with a majority of 891 (41%)…

Read More Read More

The Independent bows to the inevitable and will stop its printed edition at the end of March

The Independent bows to the inevitable and will stop its printed edition at the end of March

Comments 0 Comment

Pick of the bunch for me pic.twitter.com/kRK8GNJ99F — Jack Blanchard (@Jack_Blanchard_) February 12, 2016 How long before others go online only? The big media news this lunchtime is that the Indy and Indy on Sunday will stop producing printed editions at Easter but is going to continue in an online form. It had been struggling for some time and has seen a dramatic drop in the number of printed copies sold each day. The I, however, will continue and is…

Read More Read More

Sanders shows biggest weakness in the overnight Democratic Nominee debate: his age

Sanders shows biggest weakness in the overnight Democratic Nominee debate: his age

Comments 0 Comment

< After the massive disappointment for the Hillary campaign in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary it was back to a live TV debate overnight with the 74 year old victor in the primary, socialist Bernie Sanders. In the aftermath of New Hampshire Andy Burnham (remember him?) Tweeted that he knew how Hillary felt that morning. The big difference is that the former LAB cabinet minister is no Clinton and attempting to compare with her made him look presumptuous and foolish. The...

Read More Read More

Tonight’s local by-election line-up has 3 LAB defences and an LD one

Tonight’s local by-election line-up has 3 LAB defences and an LD one

Comments 0 Comment

Crompton (Lab defence) on Bolton Result of council at last election (2015): Labour 39, Conservatives 15, Liberal Democrats 3, UKIP 3 (Labour majority of 18) Result of ward at last election (2014): Labour 2,363 (60%), UKIP 826 (21%), Conservative 456 (12%), Liberal Democrat 148 (4%), Independent 121 (3%) Candidates duly nominated: Bilkis Bashir-Ismali (Lab), Laura Diggle (Green), Paul Eccles (UKIP), Ryan Haslam (Con), Garry Veevers (Lib Dem) In the 2004 local elections something quite remarkable happened in Bolton, the Liberal…

Read More Read More