Guardian Will Obama and Congress go to the brink and beyond? Possibly the biggest political gamble going on at the moment is the series of judgement calls being made by politicians in Washington. By their failure to agree so far, they are running the very real risk of at the least a partial shutdown of the federal government and at worst an outright default. None of it need happen. The markets are willing to lend the money the government needs…
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How hard is it going to be to return to power? There are two schools of thought in the Labour Party on the scale of the defeat at the 2010 election. Important expectations are tied to each of these and are creating a peculiar dynamic in the party right now. It sounds strange, but one year on and many of us cannot agree how badly we did and how far we are from the winning post. The first camp led…
But was this a factor in the likely gloomy news? The big story today and, possibly longer, will be the economic growth figures for April – June 2011 (Q2) that are due out this morning. The signs are that the figures are not good and one of the explanations being put forward is that so many people took extended breaks at the time of the royal wedding. It will be recalled that this took place on Friday April 29th three…
And Labour open up 6 point lead The chart I’m featuring from the new ComRes telephone poll out for tomorrow’s Independent is the one that is being highlighted by the pollster and most probably the paper itself – responses to the question “The hacking scandal shows that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is not “fit and proper†to own any part of BskyB” As can be seen from the chart those interviewed were very supportive of the proposition with not too…
Could he just carry on as a minister? There’s been a flurry of activity on the next cabinet exit betting market following the news that Chris Huhne has had another meeting with police and that this now in the hands of the CPS. Paddypower now make Huhne the 4/5 favourite to be first out with Ladbrokes offering 2/1. But how certain is a resignation if he’s charged? Couldn’t Huhne just say that you innocent until found guilty and just carry…
Is Glover right: the coalition could be fighting for its life? One of the best Monday morning columns today is by Julian Glover in the Guardian in which he ponders the consequences if tomorrow’s Q2 growth figures are negative. He writes: “….Everything else, more or less, is survivable: but the coalition could not outlast a collapse of confidence in its economic plans. And with ..the figures confidence will be shaken again. Climbing food and fuel prices, a domestic recovery made…
But have its detractors failed to get their case over? There’ve been lots of rumblings during the past three weeks about the size and the dominating impact impact of the BBC and, indeed, the corporation is going to be looked at as part of the post-hacking inquiries. But is there public support for its wings being clipped? One repeated complaint has been its coverage of the hacking scandal itself with many arguing that because its own interests its coverage is…