UKIP continues its run of losses in the latest round of council by-elections

UKIP continues its run of losses in the latest round of council by-elections

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Farage’s party has lost all but one defence since May 7th Witney North on West Oxfordshire (Independent, elected as Conservative, defence) Result: Conservatives 264 (34% -9%), Liberal Democrats 201 (26% +14%), Green Party 136 (17% -11%), Labour 114 (15% -2%), United Kingdom Independence Party 64 (8%, no candidate in 2012) Conservative HOLD with a majority of 63 (8%) on a swing of 11.5% from Conservative to Liberal Democrat Camborne, Pandarves on Cornwall (UKIP defence) Result: Conservatives 325 (30% unchanged), Liberal…

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We shouldn’t rule out the possibility that a Corbyn leadership could be the catalyst for LAB’s rebirth

We shouldn’t rule out the possibility that a Corbyn leadership could be the catalyst for LAB’s rebirth

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Yesterday William Hill put up a bet offering 5/2 on Jeremy Corbyn leading LAB at the next general election. The thinking behind this chimes with the widespread assumption that Corbyn would be disastrous for LAB and that well before GE2020 there’d be a move to oust him and replaced with someone perceived to be much more voter friendly. But could this be wrong? Could a Labour with Mr Corbyn in charge be a proposition that is electorally popular? The answer…

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Three local by-elections tonight – won last time by UKIP, LAB & CON

Three local by-elections tonight – won last time by UKIP, LAB & CON

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Harry Hayfield’s preview Camborne, Pendarves on Cornwall (UKIP defence) Result of council at last election (2013): Independents 37, Liberal Democrats 36, Conservatives 31, Labour 8, United Kingdom Independence Party 6, Mebyon Kernow 4, Green Party 1 (No Overall Control, Independents short by 25) Result of ward at last election (2013): UKIP 340 (32%), Conservative 319 (30%), Mebyon Kernow 211 (20%), Labour 200 (19%) Candidates duly nominated: Nathan Billings (Lib Dem), Peter Channon (Ind), Val Dalley (Lab), Deborah Fox (Mebynon Kernow),…

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Corbyn: Winning the election but losing the argument?

Corbyn: Winning the election but losing the argument?

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Don Brind says the leader of the Opposition has to be seen as a potential PM I’ve cast my vote and I’m pretty sure I’m backing a loser. I’m also fairly certain that we are winning the argument.By we I mean Paul Flynn and me (and a few others) who don’t believe Jeremy Corbyn is a credible Labour leader because he is unelectable as Prime Minister. The few others, of course, include Tony Blair, David Blunkett, Gordon Brown Alistair Campbell,…

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As Corbyn is finding the more he looks like winning the more detailed scrutiny he’ll come under

As Corbyn is finding the more he looks like winning the more detailed scrutiny he’ll come under

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This could be troublesome for Mr. Corbyn http://t.co/dArU3lDFON pic.twitter.com/V4WFxhpDG7 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) August 19, 2015 Tonight’s developments are going to be hard to deal with A key part of the report:- “…Mr Cobryn was confronted about his links to Dyab Abou Jahjah, an alleged former fighter for Hezbollah with whom he shared a platform, on BBC Radio Four’s World at One. “Sorry, who? I saw the name this morning and I asked somebody: ‘who is he?’,” Mr Corbyn replied. Pushed…

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Boost for Yvette Cooper in the battle for second place – the New Statesman gives her its endorsement

Boost for Yvette Cooper in the battle for second place – the New Statesman gives her its endorsement

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This could help her in the spat with Burnham The influential left-wing magazine, the New Statesman has announced that it is endorsing Yvette Cooper for Labour leader. Given how far Mr. Corbyn is ahead this is probably only significant in her fight with Andy Burnham for the runner-up slot which could be important if Corbyn fails to stay the course. In an editorial in tomorrow’s edition the magazine states:- “…Labour remains traumatised by an election defeat that it never saw…

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In the 40 year since the Tories selected a woman LAB has had 8 male leaders and looks set to choose a 9th

In the 40 year since the Tories selected a woman LAB has had 8 male leaders and looks set to choose a 9th

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From my political mugs collection pic.twitter.com/HDPYaWSt9B — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) March 28, 2015 What is it about the red team and women? It was in February 1975 that Tory MPs (there was no party member involvement in those days) made the momentous decision to choose a woman, Mrs Thatcher, as their leader to succeed Edward Heath. I was working a fair bit at parliament during that period and right until election day in 1979 there was a consistent view from…

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