Could Thompson soon be the front-runner in the GOP race?

Could Thompson soon be the front-runner in the GOP race?

But will he stand up to the scrutiny that being favourite will bring? The latest polls on the race for next year’s Republican nomination show that the attorney, turned movie star, turned politician, Fred Thompson, has been making even more progress against front-runner, Rudy Giuliani. Even though he is waiting until July 4th before making a declaration Rasmussen has him polling at 24% – exactly the same as Giuliani. Another poll, LA Times-Bloomberg, has Thompson moving up by six full…

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Introducing Politicalbetting “recorded wagers”?

Introducing Politicalbetting “recorded wagers”?

Will Lynne Featherstone hold on in Hornsey? Those who followed yesterday’s thread will have seen a fierce argument between two long-standing contributors, Mark Senior and Gladstone, over whether the Lib Dems will hold onto Hornsey and Wood Green at the next general election. Mark has laid a bet 5/1 on the possibility that the incumbent who took the seat in 2005, Lynne Featherstone, (pictured above promoting a soup kitchen initiative) will fail to hold onto the seat. So if she…

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Has Jackie Ashley become a political betting convert?

Has Jackie Ashley become a political betting convert?

But what do we think of her tips on the deputy race? Over the weekend a site regular brought to my attention Jackie Ashley’s column in the Guardian last Friday when she attempted to look at the Labour deputy race from the punters’ point of view. We were told that Hilary Benn was the bookies favourite; John Cruddas had at one stage been at 150/1 but the price had tightened sharply while Harriet Harman was, in Jackie’s own words “worth…

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Should Dave fear Ming more than Gord?

Should Dave fear Ming more than Gord?

Can the Lib Dems undermine Tory ambitions? At the height of the Tory grammar row a week or so ago Francis Elliot in the Times carried a report about some leaked secret Conservative party research that might be a pointer to the next general election. For the research underlined that the party that represents the biggest threat to the Cameron project is not UKIP or another faction on the right but the Liberal Democrats. The survey also showed a disconnect…

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Why does Tony feel he has to apologise to Cameron?

Why does Tony feel he has to apologise to Cameron?

Will this be the first row of the Gord-Dave era? Reproduced above is the start of the main political story in today’s Observer and looks set to be the first Labour-Tory battle ground for Brown’s arrival at Number 10. With both new leaders jostling to assert themselves this could be very dangerous territory. For, according to the report, one of the big ideas outlined from Brown last weekend was part of a package of suggestions put by the Tories in…

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What does this say about interest in politics?

What does this say about interest in politics?

Is this a boost for Harman and Hain or not? The above is from the detail of this month’s Populus poll which wasn’t given much attention when it came out. It shows what happened when Populus showed pictures of the six contenders for the Deputy Leadership to 1,006 randomly selected members of the public in a poll. My concern here is not whether Harman is marginally better known than the rest but what is says about public interest in the…

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Sean Fear’s Friday slot WITHOUT Sean

Sean Fear’s Friday slot WITHOUT Sean

Boost for Palmer as Labour get 0.4% swing in Broxtowe It’s not going to be possible for Sean’s normal Friday slot to go up today but we could not let the day go by without recording formally the results from last night’s council by elections including a swing to Labour in Broxtowe – where PB’s Nick Palmer is the MP. These were by election results:- Broxtowe Borough – Beeston Central (two seats): Lab 728, 677, C 498, 481, Lib Dem…

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How will Gord and Dave each play July 4th?

How will Gord and Dave each play July 4th?

Will humour be the king when they come face to face? Probably the most eagerly awaited political encounter for years will take place at 12 noon on July 4th when the new Labour leader, Gordon Brown, will face David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions for the first time. The format will be familiar – the opposition leader gets a maximum of six questions which he can use when he wants but the Prime Minister always has the last word. How…

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