And why more abysmal election coverage by the BBC? So David Davis got his expected big victory in the early hours and the BBC showed once again with their minimal coverage of the count and lack of analysis that they have abandoned their case to be funded by a tax enforced by all the apparatus of the criminal law. Covering the electoral process at work should be the first priority for a public service broadcaster and they failed miserably. Sky,…
Turnout down to less than 35% The count is continuing in Halteprice and Howden with the result expected after 2am. one piece of information comes in a report in the Yorkshire Post suggesting a share of 75% for Davis with reasonable showing for the Green, the English Democrats and the victims rights campaigner Jill Saward. If the reported figures are right then Davis’s overall majority in terms of votes will be about double the margin he had over the Lib…
But will turnout be high enough to justify Davis’s stance? In admittedly very light trading what money there has been placed during the day on the Haltemprice and Howden by-election has been on David Davis being returned with a vote share of in excess of 80%. The above chart shows the changing price on Betfair’s market over the past 24 hours and the trend is clear. Those few punters who have been prepared to bet have put it on the…
“Jack Straw becomes PM and calls an immediate election!!!” However much Number 10 might not like it the speculation about the future of the Labour government and Gordon Brown continues unabated. It’s hard to talk to anybody involved in politics without the conversation turning to this. This morning the Indy’s sketch writer, Simon Carr, posted an interesting piece on the paper’s Open House blog based on what some “special advisors” are said to be kicking “kicking around”. This would see…
Will Brown regret his reply to Cameron? Ever since the budget in March the potential for an explosion over the vehicle excise duty changes has been hovering in the background. Applying higher rates to vehicles that pollute the most was in line with existing green policy and Darling’s plan to impose the regime on existing vehicles as well as new purchases did not attract all that much immediate comment. In June, when Cameron pressed Brown hard on the issue he…
Was the “men will flee” response inspired by comment number 1? Some commentators are suggesting that Harriet Harman made a gaffe in her final reply to William Hague at PMQs when in response to a suggestion that she might become PM replied: “It wouldn’t be possible because there aren’t enough airports in the country for all the men who would want to flee…” Watch the exchange yourself by clicking on the picture above. I wonder whether the idea for her…
Does her elected status mean she’s fire-proof? When Harriet Harman, first stood in for Brown at PMQs at the start of April there were widespread expectations that Cameron’s stand-in, William Hague, would do to her what he had done to the former deputy PM, John Prescott. But Harriet was ready and by all accounts came out from the exchanges on level terms if not better (judge for yourself by clicking the panel above) Today the woman who was the surprise…
Will Davis think that it’s all been worth it on Friday? When David Davis first made his extraordinary move to resign his seat and force a by-election I asked whether many people would remember the original cause on polling day. Well that is now only two days away and all the political focus is on another election several hundred miles away in Glasgow. It’s hard to see Davis being beaten in Haltemprice and Howden but turnout is likely to be…