Will the budget be less painful than its advanced billing? Just a day to go before the first budget of the new government and many of the papers are speculating over some of the horrendous things that they think that George Osborne will be announcing. But is the awfulness of what the coalition’s planning being talked up so that the reaction tomorrow afternoon is that it’s not as bad as was feared? It wouldn’t be the first time that expectations…
BBC News Would the best approach been to have kept quiet? There’s been a furious reaction from the former Labour deputy PM, Lord Prescott, to this morning news that his former cabinet colleague, John Hutton, is to head up the government’s commission into public sector pensions. Linking the action to moves by Kate Hoey and Frank Field he writes: “Now we have the unedifying spectacle of John Hutton, Labour’s former Work and Pensions minister, chairing a new Independent Pensions Commission…
Could there be dangers in ceding the centre ground? The Evening Standard political writer, Paul Waugh, has made an astute observation about the Labour leadership race – it is taking the party leftwards. He noted: “…..David Miliband came up with a string of policies that will gladden the hearts of party activists and trade unions. Axeing £100million tax breaks for private schools was an easy hit and one that – surely completely unintentionally – drew attention to Diane Abbott’s praise…
Fieldwork Pollster/publication CON LAB LD OTH 16-17 June ComRes / Independent on Sunday 36 30 23 11 10-11 June YouGov / Sunday Times 40 32 18 10 1-9 June Harris/Metro 36 30 25 9 28-31 May ComRes / The Independent 37 33 21 9 21-23 May ICM / The Guardian 39 32 21 8 20-21 May YouGov / Sunday Times 39 32 21 7 13-14 May YouGov / Sunday Times 37 34 21 8 12-13 May ICMÂ / Sunday Telegraph 38…
NOTW The News of the World story is here. It seems that the original “scoop”, if that is what we still call these things, was by the People who possibly could feel a bit miffed that their arch-rival, the NOTW has now got its new angle on the story. Maybe their mistake was to start Tweeting about it too early? Will it have a political impact? Probably not – Chris Huhne is not Lembit Opik although his “news” could keep…
What now for the ‘Drill Baby, Drill’ advocates? So far, the majority of the focus of the BP oil spill story has focussed on the executives of the company and on how the US government’s response is likely to affect President Obama. That’s understandable but beyond the immediate concerns about fixing the leak, there are bigger questions about America’s energy policy to answer, ones that could have a direct bearing on the next presidential campaign. Now’s a good time to…
Hat-tip: Major League Soccer talk Tweeted by Morus
Could a Labour poll transform the betting? The big gap for punters on this race is a poll of those entitled to vote in September’s election. I was half expecting one for the Sunday Times last weekend and maybe we’ll see something tomorrow. I’ve had no indication that such a survey is taking place and if a Labour or a trade union member has been invited to take part in such a poll then it would be great if you…