David Herdson asks: Will HS2 ever get built?

David Herdson asks: Will HS2 ever get built?

Comments 0 Comment

Wouldn’t the money be better spent elsewhere? The debate that’s recently taken place over the awarding of the next West Coast mainline franchise to FirstGroup refocuses the spotlight on the proposed HS2 line, which if built would be a very serious competitor to it.  That the franchise runs until 2026 – the date proposed for the opening of the first stage of HS2 – is presumably not coincidental. Will it be built though?  There’s a lot of opposition along the…

Read More Read More

How will the Scottish independence referendum affect the next general election

How will the Scottish independence referendum affect the next general election

Comments 0 Comment

James Kelly looks at the various scenarios. One thing is for sure – Scotland will be returning MPs to Westminster at the next general election, whenever it is held.  On the SNP’s proposed timetable, a Yes vote in the 2014 referendum would not result in an independent Scottish state coming into being until 2016. It is inconceivable that Scotland could remain part of the United Kingdom, even for a few months, without parliamentary representation.  Perhaps a provisional arrangement might be…

Read More Read More

Night hawks is open

Night hawks is open

Comments 0 Comment

Home of the web’s best political conversation If you’re a regular, and you Just Can’t Get Enough of PB, then relax and converse into the night on the day’s events. If you’ve always been a lurker, why not join in tonight? Over in America, Mitt Romney’s campaign became Grubby and Ugly today, or Mitt has a sense of humour, depending on your point of view. See the video here. What will this do to his campaign, and the wider general…

Read More Read More

Continuation thread

Continuation thread

Comments 0 Comment

And an article worth reading Over at Conhome, there’s an article by Mark Gettleson, who is is an elections and polling analyst, focusing on British and American politics. He writes for PoliticsHome.com and ‘The Knowledge’ in The House magazine. He is also a Liberal Democrat councillor. He looks at whether A Liberal Democrat meltdown could kill Tory chances at the next election     TSE   Mike Smithson is currently on holiday                

Henry G Manson asks: Can MPs and money mix?

Henry G Manson asks: Can MPs and money mix?

Comments 0 Comment

  This week a new website called www.searchthemoney.com has gone online to show what different Conservative MPs are earning or are receiving in donations. The unions behind this clearly see attack as the best form of defence and hope to highlight the link between the finance sector, big business and the Conservative Party. As their adverts on these pages show Michael Gove has already raked in £462,223 above his ample salary. It’s actually a very handy site but I think they should add…

Read More Read More

Night hawks is open

Night hawks is open

Comments 0 Comment

Home of the web’s best political conversation Relax, and converse into the night on the day’s events. If you’ve always been a lurker, then this thread is, Especially for You, why not join in tonight?

Nearly half of Lib Dem members want Nick Clegg to resign as Leader by May 2015.

Nearly half of Lib Dem members want Nick Clegg to resign as Leader by May 2015.

Comments 0 Comment

Is this the moment for Vince Cable to seize the leadership? It hasn’t been a good few years for Nick Clegg, some of the lowlights include Membership has slumped by 25% in a year The AV referendum was lost, which caused a rumpus in cabinet Plans for an elected House of Lords have been dropped Disappointing local election results He still remains the worst performing leader with the Ipsos-Mori leadership ratings, and with the Lib Dems polling with some of…

Read More Read More