How seriously should we take the pact call?

How seriously should we take the pact call?

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Would it be too much for both parties to swallow? The main political story this Boxing Day morning is a report of comments by an unnamed Tory minister that the coalition could go into the next election with some form of electoral pact. According to the report by Patrick Hennessy and Jonathan Wynne-Jones, “the minister, often seen as one of a tight inner-circle of “Cameroons”, went further than any member of the government yet has in endorsing joint candidates.” Referring…

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The Fourth Annual StJohn Christmas Day Crossword

The Fourth Annual StJohn Christmas Day Crossword

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ACROSS  1.  Knowledgeable source that makes nothing clear (6)  5.  Greek island rejected tax on property (8)  9.  Debtor’s right to pursue gold hidden by Gordon Brown, the author (8) 10. See 2 down. 11. Spring sees the first of Earl Grey’s reforms (6) 12. Victor is a National hero (8) 14. Hannibal got confused with Tory politician (7,5) 17. English historian and ex Tory MP on the radio (7,5) 20. Pleased with newspaper backing Paulson split universal banks (8)  22….

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Why’s Labour talking down the Tories in Old & Sad?

Why’s Labour talking down the Tories in Old & Sad?

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Would the smarter strategy be to talk them up? An intriguing feature of Labour’s OES by-election campaign is that it is trying to confirm the ongoing media narrative that the Tories are not really trying. The party’s campaign manager, Iain Wright who got into parliament after winning the 2004 Hartlepool by-election, has been saying “I have seen no activity from the Tories whatsoever. I think they have left it too late.” On the face of it you’d think that the…

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What are poll junkies going to do every night?

What are poll junkies going to do every night?

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Client/pollster Date CON % LAB % LD % Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 22/12/10 40 42 9 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 21/12/10 40 42 9 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 20/12/10 40 43 8 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 19/12/10 39 42 9 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 16/12/10 41 41 9 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 15/12/10 42 40 8 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 14/12/10 39 42 9 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 13/12/10 41 42 9 Murdoch’s News International /YouGov 10/12/10 40 42 9…

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Could OES postal voting exceed 50 percent?

Could OES postal voting exceed 50 percent?

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Which party has netted the most? At the general election on May 6th 2010 a total of 8,316 of 45,092 votes that were cast in Oldham E & Saddleworth were postal ballots – that’s almost one in five and typical of what we saw in closely contested marginal seats. For the party machines like to “bank” as many votes as possible before the election so that on the day they can focus on getting the non-postal voters out. They are…

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It’s not only the Lib Dems whose numbers are shrinking

It’s not only the Lib Dems whose numbers are shrinking

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Newsspaper circulation figures November daily sales %age change on 2009 January 2000 figures Daily Mirror 1,177,629 -6.54 2,270,543 Daily Star 756,686 -8.10 502,647 The Sun 2,898,113 -2.04 3,557,336 Daily Express 639,690 -6.64 979,042 Daily Mail 2,100,885 -2.22 2,353,915 The Daily Telegraph 652,762 -12.28 1,022,263 Financial Times 400,699 -.09 435,478 The Guardian 270,582 -11.35 401,560 The Independent 177,636 -4.78 222,106 The Times 466,311 -17.21 726,349 Where does the printed media go from here?

Time to cross Portsmouth S off the by election list?

Time to cross Portsmouth S off the by election list?

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Some pre-Xmas good news for the yellows? Today’s news that no charges are to be brought against Portsmouth South MP, Mike Hancock, should provide some welcome good news for Nick Clegg and his party. For if the case of alleged “inappropriate behaviour” with a constituent had gone to trial then Hancock would probably have had to resign his seat leading to a very difficult by-election for his party to have to fight. He had been arrested and bailed in October….

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