Ed Miliband can take heart from Maggie in 1979. In spite of being 19pc behind in the best PM ratings she won a majority of 44

Ed Miliband can take heart from Maggie in 1979. In spite of being 19pc behind in the best PM ratings she won a majority of 44

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In final MORI polling before Maggie’s GE1979 victory Callaghan had a 19% lead as “best PM”. LAB lost twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/st… — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) April 9, 2013 So hope for EdM who consistently trails Dave on this measure? One of the great hopes for GE2015 that you hear repeatedly from blue team supporters is that when it comes to the crunch voters won’t back an Ed Miliband-led government. Their reasoning is that in poll after poll when those interviewed asked to…

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TSE on Thatcher

TSE on Thatcher

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    I was only twelve when Lady Thatcher was replaced as Tory Leader and Prime Minister, I remember my mother being particularly happy at the news. Growing up in 1980s South Yorkshire, I was used to hearing abusive things said about Margaret Thatcher, particularly in the aftermath of the miners’ strike. But as some of you may have guessed, those things didn’t have a lasting effect on me or my views on Lady Thatcher. She set the benchmark that…

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Ukip could be contesting 70 percent of the council seats up for election on May 2

Ukip could be contesting 70 percent of the council seats up for election on May 2

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Back in 2009 the Ukip proportion was about one in five Over the next couple of days we should see the full nomination list for the council seats that are due to be contested on May 2nd and the big focus is on how many candidates Ukip will manage to field. For given what’s been happening in recent council by-elections the presence of Ukip on the ballot forms can have a big impact on outcomes. Given that the Tories are…

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It is 16-1 that this man will win South Shields and become Ukip’s first elected MP

It is 16-1 that this man will win South Shields and become Ukip’s first elected MP

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A poster for UKIP’s Richard Elvin from Middlesbrough by election.He’s tobe candidate in #SouthShields twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/st… — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) April 7, 2013 Ukip choose the man who came second in Middlesbrough It is being reported that Ukip have become the first of the major contenders to choose their candidate for the South Shields by-election, due next month. He’s Richard Elvin who lives just 14 miles away so is not too far off being a local. Looking at a short TV…

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If stepping up the rhetoric on welfare was supposed to boost CON poll ratings it has yet to work

If stepping up the rhetoric on welfare was supposed to boost CON poll ratings it has yet to work

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Welfare reform is only important electorally if it impacts on voting behaviour & so far we’ve seen no evidence of that — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) April 7, 2013 Ukip equal highest levels with both YouGov and Opinium New Opinium/Observer online poll without past vote weighting – LAB 38, CON28, UKIP 17, LD 8% — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) April 6, 2013 Today’s YouGov for Sunday Times.CON 30,LAB 40,LD 11,UKIP 13.So Tories 1% above low point with firm &Ukip =ing high point….

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