Starmer overtakes Johnson in latest YouGov leader ratings

Starmer overtakes Johnson in latest YouGov leader ratings

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Even though he’s only been LAB leader for just five and a half weeks the latest YouGov “well/badly” ratings have Starmer edging ahead of Johnson. The Standard reports: A YouGov survey carried out over the weekend found that 40 per cent of Brits believe the Labour leader is doing either “fairly well” or “very well” and 17 per cent think he is performing “fairly badly” or “very badly”. The Prime Minister is more divisive – 57 per cent think he is doing “fairly well” or “very…

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If this trend goes on Johnson’s CON government will soon have a net negative approval rating

If this trend goes on Johnson’s CON government will soon have a net negative approval rating

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Ministers struggling to maintain public support The above chart is based on the weekly YouGov polling in which those sampled are asked to state whether they approve or disapprove of the government. As can be seen at the start of the lockout there was considerable backing for what Johnson had done and the policies that were being pursued. This has now moved from a net 26% to 7% in the latest survey in seven weeks. It looks as though that…

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Saving lives and protecting the NHS

Saving lives and protecting the NHS

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In Lord Denning’s 1980 judgement preventing the Birmingham Six from suing the police for injuries while in custody, he stated:  “Just consider………if their action were to proceed to trial………If they won, it would mean that the police were guilty of perjury; that they were guilty of violence and threats; that the confessions were involuntary and improperly admitted in evidence; and that the convictions were erroneous…….That was such an appalling vista that every sensible person would say, ‘It cannot be right that…

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Some Tories are getting very nervy about Starmer

Some Tories are getting very nervy about Starmer

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A big COVID-19 political event today has been Keir Starmer’s broadcast response as leader of the opposition to Johnson TV address to the nation last night. Such broadcasts have been an established party of political coverage since the 1960s when TV was starting to establish itself as the primary communications medium. Dehenna Davison is very new to the Commons having won Bishop Auckland from Labour at the general election just five months ago. Normally responses of opposition leaders don’t make…

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From a betting perspective the dangers of “fighting the last war”

From a betting perspective the dangers of “fighting the last war”

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On Boxing Day last year, a fortnight after the Tories won an 80 seat majority, a delighted family friend declared over lunch “I couldn’t believe the result. Politics has been so unpredictable, and no-one thought Boris would win big!” He was wrong, but not completely. Despite double-digit poll leads the media had speculated about hung parliaments a hell of a lot and the betting markets had the Tories as surprisingly modest favourites. Longer than 1/2 on a majority of any…

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The Boris fan club sticks with their man but other national papers are more critical

The Boris fan club sticks with their man but other national papers are more critical

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As can be seen there is quite a divide between how the papers are reporting the TV address by the PM last night. The loyalists try to take the best view for Johnson while others point to the contradictions and difficulties. We’ll get a better idea after this goes to the Commons this afternoon when this will be presented to MPs. The Keir Starmer reaction is going to be key and certainly there are some obvious issues. I thought it…

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Get well soon, Prime Minister

Get well soon, Prime Minister

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Six words brought down a Prime Minister: “Don’t you think she looks tired?” Alright, she was the entirely fictional Prime Minister Harriet Jones in Doctor Who, but the point is a good one. Boris Johnson does not need the interference of a Time Lord for the public to be questioning his health. He looks terrible. For many years, he has traded off looking rumpled. He now looks dishevelled and haunted. Poor man. He succumbed to exactly the virus from which he was supposed to…

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