In the Sunday papers…

In the Sunday papers…

Is Portillo right about the Conservatives and Clarke? The Sunday Times reports that the Cabinet is split over the proposed third runway at Heathrow, with Hilary Benn warning that the expansion should be rejected unless noise and air pollution are dramatically cut. The Environment Secretary gives an interview to the paper who suggest that the “similarities between the father and his cabinet minister son are becoming increasingly apparent”. ST columnist Michael Portillo argues that “if the Tories lose the election…

Read More Read More

But YouGov has the Tories extending their lead

But YouGov has the Tories extending their lead

CONSERVATIVES 41% (+1) LABOUR 35% (-1) LIB DEMS 15% (+1) Will this bring relief to Team Cameron The second poll of the night, by YouGov for the Sunday Times, adds further to the confused picture of what is happening to public opinion about the general election. For the online pollster is reporting a two point increase in the Tory lead with Cameron’s party still above 40%. It also, contrary to ComRes, has the Lib Dems advancing even if only by…

Read More Read More

It’s almost no change from ComRes

It’s almost no change from ComRes

CONSERVATIVES 37% (nc) LABOUR 36% (nc) LIB DEMS 14% (-3) Tory lead still at just one point The IoS ComRes poll is just out and represents no change between the two main parties but a sharpish slump in the Lib Dem share. Clearly Labour will be delighted with the numbers though I would have expected Brown’s party would have done better given the Lib Dem movement. Normally a Lib Dem decline leads to a Labour boost – but not here….

Read More Read More

Who is to blame for Ed Balls’ grey hairs?

Who is to blame for Ed Balls’ grey hairs?

Are his shadows keeping him on his toes? Here’s a statement that might not meet with universal agreement on the site: in recent weeks, I’ve been rather impressed by Ed Balls’ performance as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. In spite of the fact that Ipsos MORI’s issue tracker shows Education mattering less than at any time since Labour came to power, the Secretary of State has recently secured additional funding from the Treasury for underachieving schools, agreed…

Read More Read More

What if Froglet offered Iron Chicken the Exchequer?

What if Froglet offered Iron Chicken the Exchequer?

Would that be a better way to beat the Soup-Dragon? Sad news this week, with the death of children’s animation maestro Oliver Postgate who passed away on Monday. Postgate was the creator of such classics as Bagpuss, Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog, but his enduring legacy will be the surreal and innovative world of the Clangers. I cannot take credit for being the first to wonder whether a political article could be crafted from the inspiration of Postgate’s…

Read More Read More

Can this man impede the Downing Street spinners?

Can this man impede the Downing Street spinners?

How will this affect the election PR war? What strikes me as the most significant story of the day in terms of the next general election is the letter by Sir Michael Scholar, to Jeremy Heywood, Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, on yesterday’s knife crime statistics. For one of the dead easy ways that Brown Central can get onto the next bulletins is by announcing some statistics and its always possible to play about with them to show…

Read More Read More

Was Manchester’s decision a vote against the government?

Was Manchester’s decision a vote against the government?

Are there national implications in the C-Charge rejection? First of all hands up! I read the Manchester C-charge referendum wrongly thorough putting too much weight on the polls and believing that the £2.8bn promised investment would swing votes towards the proposal. What are the national implications? Firstly the Manchester vote following last year’s Edinburgh rejection will mean that it’s going to be much tougher pushing through such schemes. My guess is that we won’t see a further big C-charge proposal…

Read More Read More

Polls: Should we focus on of the few – not the many?

Polls: Should we focus on of the few – not the many?

Will Green-gate affect anybody’s vote? Although there is still the odd story coming out the focus of the Westminster village has moved on from the Damien Green affair and it’s hard to see it bubbling up again. But what of the impact on the voters? No doubt Brown Central was cheered by the above figures from this week’s Populus poll. These showed 45% agreeing that “this is one of those typical Westminster arguments that bear no relation to the lives…

Read More Read More