Whoever started the briefing about a “revenge reshuffle” has done Corbyn no favours

Whoever started the briefing about a “revenge reshuffle” has done Corbyn no favours

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So after all of that Hilary Benn retains his Shadow Foreign Secretary jobhttps://t.co/qnFEtf3Bvd pic.twitter.com/kLTdSNNRQG — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 6, 2016 The changes don’t live up to the billing In the end the news that Hilary Benn would remain in post came at 1.07 am and the overall package appears little different from what it was before. Benn is still there while Emily Thornberry replaces Maria Eagle as shadow defence secretary. She in turn switches to the culture job. Full…

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Now Labour’s divisions are being talked about as being “a Political Civil War”

Now Labour’s divisions are being talked about as being “a Political Civil War”

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Statement from Labour First From Labour First – what a political civil war looks like: pic.twitter.com/ysX1QHnOOu — Glen O'Hara (@gsoh31) January 5, 2016 The fallout over the “Revenge Reshuffle” goes on What a day. First there was the news that Cameron is to allow ministers freedom to campaign for LEAVE in EURef campaign… and Corbyn’s reshuffle is sending our reverberations that look set to make any form of reconciliation in the party nigh on impossible. From the information that’s coming…

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Mark Pack on his polling archive database

Mark Pack on his polling archive database

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Way back in the 1980s, one day I was watching David Owen being interviewed on television, responding to probing questions about the then Alliance’s opinion polls ratings by saying there was a seasonal pattern in third party support in the polls. Frustration with the lack of detail in his answers or knowledge in the interviewer’s follow-up questions turned into a fruitless search for sources for answering the question afterwards. Which then led to the birth of my collection of opinion…

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Farage’s ratings tumble could impact on who runs the LEAVE campaign

Farage’s ratings tumble could impact on who runs the LEAVE campaign

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Newly released YouGov leader ratings see Farage dropping sharply. Doing well figure down from 37% to 31%. Doing badly up from 40% to 49%. — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 5, 2016 Could he be a liability to the BREXIT effort not an asset While all the focus of late had been on Corbyn’s LAB another big political decision which could have huge consequences is so far unresolved. Who is going to lead and be the public voice of the LEAVE…

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It’s very rare for a SHADOW cabinet re-reshuffle to get so much attention

It’s very rare for a SHADOW cabinet re-reshuffle to get so much attention

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The LAB reshuffle rolling thread Hilary Benn leaves Corbyn meeting- says "I'm heading back to my office and am not making any comment" — Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) January 4, 2016 I'm hearing Trotsky to Siberia… #labour #reshuffle — Iain Martin (@iainmartin1) January 4, 2016 #Reshuffle Benn likely to switch jobs: pic.twitter.com/Y8Yw14JcUr — Andrea Mann (@AndreaMann) January 4, 2016 Senior Labour source says "golden rule" of reshuffles is "never ever pre-brief anything until you know you've pulled it off". — George…

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Keiran Pedley asks Is 2016 the year David Cameron loses the Conservative Party?

Keiran Pedley asks Is 2016 the year David Cameron loses the Conservative Party?

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After a turbulent year the Prime Minister enters 2016 stronger than ever writes Keiran Pedley. But will it last? In many respects 2015 was a year of contradictions. On the one hand, it was the year of the political insurgent. UKIP won the best part of 4 million votes at the General Election (though failed to make the breakthrough in seats it had hoped for), the SNP won 56 of 59 seats at Westminster and Jeremy Corbyn swept away the…

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Keeping Benn as shadow Foreign Sec could make Corbyn look weak but sacking him could be even more dangerous

Keeping Benn as shadow Foreign Sec could make Corbyn look weak but sacking him could be even more dangerous

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Hilary Benn in last month's Syria debate with Corbyn at his side pic.twitter.com/Nulzb0u7A4 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 3, 2016 Reshuffles are tricky times for leaders At present I haven’t seen any betting markets on Hilary Benn’s survival as Corbyn’s shadow Foreign Secretary but no doubt these will be opened. There could be three options: Benn stays in current role: Benn remains as part of top team but in a different role or Benn out of the shadow cabinet completely….

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Taking the 66 to 1 on Michael Fallon as next Tory Leader

Taking the 66 to 1 on Michael Fallon as next Tory Leader

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National Security is going to feature heavily in 2020 and that’s not good news for Corbyn nor Labour but it might be good news for Michael Fallon The attack in the video above on Ed Miliband during the general election campaign was absolutely brutal and deeply personal but the most important thing for both the Tories and Labour, it was an utterly devastating for Ed Miliband and Labour. With 71% of voters not trusting Corbyn to safeguard Britain’s national security you can…

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