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The Times have quite the revelation that, ceteris paribus, should lead to the sacking or resignation of Kemi Badenoch. A top civil servant told the former chairman of the Post Office to “hobble” into the election and not to “rip off the band aid” in terms of its finances, according to a memo unearthed on Tuesday. Sarah Munby, who was then permanent secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, warned Henry Staunton that “politicians do not necessarily…

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I find this much more polarised than I had thought. The other split that I would not have predicted is that Remainers aresignificantly more likely to back Palestinians. Mike Smithson

Sunak’s very unlucky that he keeps on having so many by-elections which he inevitably loses, this time in Blackpool South, which is part of the English Riviera for those of you unfamiliar with the North. I cannot see any markets yet for this by-election but I cannot see anything other than a Labour gain even before Scott Benton stands as an independent and splits the Tory vote. TSE

TSE

Table from Wikipedia As we all know this has been a terrible Parliament for the Conservatives in parliamentary by-elections. As well as LAB the LDs have picked a quite a few seats. But how many of the Tory losses go back to Sunak’s party at the general election? Certainly the history of recent general elections suggests that most will revert back. One factor of course is that the boundaries at the general election will be different. Also the amount of…

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Of the sloping-shouldered former Post Office Chairman, Henry Staunton, whose interview is the lead story in today’s Sunday Times. There is much of interest in it, but this detail stuck out: “Early on, I was told by a fairly senior person to stall on spending on compensation and on the replacement of Horizon, and to limp, in quotation marks – I did a file note on it – limp into the election,” he said. “It was not an anti-postmaster thing, it was just…

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Being seen as pro Palestinian might be a voter winner, so perhaps the contretemps in Rochdale might not be so problematic for Labour and their candidate. Interestingly the criticisms of Israel/the pro Palestinian comments of The Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton might also boost the Tories however salience applies here. Things like the NHS, the economy, and dentists will determine how most people vote not events in the Holy Lands. TSE

The logic underpinning David Gauke’s argument is very persuasive, this part in particular. Part of the right’s narrative after an election defeat will be, first, that the Tories leaked too many votes to Reform and, second, that the right’s best communicators were not employed in making the Tories’ case. The solution will be obvious to the Tory right. Bring back Boris and bring in Nigel. Unite the right and have in place a team who can connect with ordinary people. It…

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