The Scottish Election Study use YouGov however due slight methodology variations YouGov advise not to compare them to YouGov’s own polls but rather compare them to previous Scottish Election Study polls. Redfield & Wilton has Labour & The SNP tied but even if Redfield & WIlton is accurate Humza Yousaf’s strategy about using the next Westminster general election to further Scottish independence might be flawed. TSE
Following the Covid-19 inquiry I think Boris Johnson’s reputation has been sufficiently shredded that his career in politics will not reach his previous political apotheoses. TSE
I did wonder if the events in the Middle East might be the blackest of black swans that upends Sir Keir Starmer general election victory. It is clear that the Labour Party is more focussed and sympathetic to the Palestinians than most voters, so Starmer’s actions on recent events could annoy plenty of Labour voters but he’s doing better than Corbyn which represents a real victory for Starmer. TSE
Given the Tory voting demographic (and indeed Tory members) I am sure these comments would have utterly cratered the Tory vote share to below Truss levels if Boris Johnson was still Prime Minister. Short of reversing Brexit not sure there is a worse way to micturate off Tory voters. TSE
Remember the fuss about Johnson’s WhatsApp messages during Covid, the government’s legal challenge to the S.21 demand made by the Covid Inquiry’s Chair and it losing that challenge? The issue of why the PM’s Principal Private Secretary turned on WhatsApp’s ‘disappearing message‘ function for the PM’s WhatsApp group just before the Inquiry was announced is exercising it right now. Now we have the Scottish version – only it appears to be worse, both for the Scottish politicians and civil servants…
I am now back from my short hospital break. Thanks for all the good wishes Mike Smithson
In Part 1 I argued that Net Zero is the wrong path for the UK. To be clear that does not mean we should not have an environmental plan we definitely need one. Just not the one in place at present. Net Zero is focused on solving worldwide problems , we need instead to focus on our own requirements. For a modern economy energy is its life blood it can also be the source of carbon. So, let’s start with:…
This is a fascinating Twitter thread by Sam Freedman and well worth your time going through. TSE