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The Sun – general election day May 6th 2010 Will Rupe back Dave at a second general election? The sting operation against the Tory co-treasurer Peter Cruddas is a timely reminder of the power and sophistication of the Murdoch press. These operations require a huge amount of resources and planning and over the years the Wapping papers have dome this better than anybody. Both the Sunday Times and the former News of the World have over the years exposed a…

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Is this the revenge of Rupert? If you would like to purchase one of Marf’s prints, please contact her at marfcartoons@btinternet.com

Just to say that I am not feeling well and won’t be posting. Mike Smithson

Both coalition partners fall back There’s bad news for the coalition in the first ICM poll since Wednesday’s budget. A survey for the Sunday Telegraph has shares CON 37%(-2), LAB 38% (+2), LD 13%(-2). The comparion is with the firm’s Guardian poll carried out last weekend. The latest Yougov daily poll has a LAB lead of 7%. There’s little doubt that the government has taken a media hammering since Osborne’s speech and it was always going to be hard winning…

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Was this a reason for the grannytax cock-up? The ConHome editor, Tim Montgomerie, paints an extraordinary picture of the many roles that George Osborne has in this government in a opinion piece in today’s Times. He writes:- “11 Downing Street is now the headquarters of government in a way that Gordon Brown could only dream of when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. Where Mr Brown sought more power by relentlessly undermining Tony Blair, Mr Osborne has accumulated power by…

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Is the planned rise asking for trouble? The PR has unravelled on Osborne’s Budget for much the same reason as it unravelled frequently on those of Gordon Brown: hiding bad news means your opponents get first shot at making the argument on the issue and that then sets the terms of debate. Had he been upfront about the freezing of pensioner tax allowances and set it in the context of the already generous amounts and the freebies and perks that…

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Do governments interfere with our pleasures at their peril? If you would like to purchase one of Marf’s prints, please contact her at marfcartoons@btinternet.com

Betfair Politics Is he still a worthy favourite? George Osborne remains the favourite to be Cameron’s replacement but I just wonder how much damage this will do to his leadership ambitions? Today’s rushed commons statement by the home secretary on alcohol pricing, something that almost never happens on Fridays, is an indication of how much trouble the government spin machine thing they are in. Clearly the hope is that the narrative will move on. But just looking at the front…

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