Never! The DUP’s tragic journey from Ian Paisley to King Lear

Never! The DUP’s tragic journey from Ian Paisley to King Lear

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The DUP’s whole raison d’être is to preserve the union.  It has throughout its history set its face against every compromise with nationalists that might lead to further entanglement with the Republic of Ireland (their older supporters will still spit out references to “the Free State”, as if it were the Federation in Blake’s Seven).  Though you wouldn’t know it to listen to them now, they fiercely opposed the Good Friday Agreement. In 2016, they decided to take a holiday…

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My 250/1 longshot for WH2024 showing a flair for publicity that could take him a long way

My 250/1 longshot for WH2024 showing a flair for publicity that could take him a long way

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On the weekend after the presidential election in November I took a bet at 250/1 with Ladbrokes that Jon Ossoff would win the 2024 the next White House race. This was a wild longshot based on the impressions I had got of him during his campaign for the Senate seat in Georgia. It will be recalled that he had got close enough in November for it to be run off in January which turned out to be a gain for…

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Senedd shake-up: what happens if Welsh Labour lose their majority?

Senedd shake-up: what happens if Welsh Labour lose their majority?

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No permutation looks a natural fit Elections: remember them? For most of the country, they’ve become a distant memory. Aside from a handful of council by-elections in Scotland in the autumn, there’s been nothing for ten months. They are, however, due to return with a vengeance in May with elections for some or all of 149 English councils, plus 13 mayors (including London and all the large combined-authorities), 40 Police & Crime Commissioners, the London Assembly, Scottish Parliament and Welsh…

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On Betfair the odds on Trump being convicted drop below 20%

On Betfair the odds on Trump being convicted drop below 20%

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Several developments on the Trump impeachment move which has already been backed by the House. This of course is the biggest current political betting market where the move has been further to Trump not being convicted by the necessary two thirds majority of Senators present when it comes to the vote. The GOP Senate leader, who has been highly critical of the ex-President, Mitch McConnell, is trying to put the timing of the hearing back to February which it is…

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Now the speculation is that Biden wants to be a two term president

Now the speculation is that Biden wants to be a two term president

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Only a day after his inauguration and it might seem premature to start speculating on whether Joe Biden wants to run for the White House once again in 2024 but that is what’s happening. In an interview with Politico a senior Democratic Senator, Chris Coons from Biden’s home state of Delaware and close friend, said that the new President will run for re-election. He told Politico: “He is planning to run again. He knows that we are at the middle…

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New Ipsos MORI polling finds nearly half of Brits having favourable view of Biden

New Ipsos MORI polling finds nearly half of Brits having favourable view of Biden

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The numbers are in sharp contrast to views of Trump In a new survey by Ipsos MORI, half of Britons (49%) are favourable towards the incoming President of the United States, Joe Biden, only 18% view him negatively. A similar proportion (47%) expect the USA to use its influence around the world mostly for good over the next four years under Biden’s presidency. The outgoing President, Donald Trump is not seen so positively. Perhaps unsurprising given the events of the…

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The Biden era begins with his predecessor boycotting the ceremonies

The Biden era begins with his predecessor boycotting the ceremonies

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Partly because of the events of two weeks ago this afternoon’s inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States seemed to take on a special significance. What were striking were the regular cutaway TV shots of groups of American soldiers not in formal ceremonial to us but in battle fatigues – a reminder of the occupation of the capital building and the onslaught on the Capitol building that that led to four people being killed. For…

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