Demographics discussions can depress. The problems – ignored by most politicians – seem vast but distant. Better to let someone else, elected later, worry about them. But we can diminish the demographic drag. We just need to do a few things. Admittedly, we need politicians to do politically unpopular things. In this video, we look at what they are, and how they help. Robert Smithson Robert tweets as ‘@MarketWarbles’ Follow @MarketWarbles Tweet
There’s a widespread assumption that the party that supports TMay’s minority government, the DUP with its 10 MPs, is rock solid in its view on Brexit and there’s no wiggle room. That perception is certainly a good bargaining chip for its relations with London but is this view correct? Could it be less united and less supportive of Brexit as might appear. Last night the person I go to on Northern Ireland politics who has proved to be solidly reliable…
Picture: The latest odds by Ladbrokes, others are available. In these highly partisan times I’d rule out any politician, with the exception of Clement Attlee. Attlee’s role in winning World War Two and setting up NATO & the NHS marks as him as a truly great politician that transcends normal politics. I expect the campaign to get Mrs Thatcher as the face of the new £50 note will be doomed despite her worthy qualities, sadly there’s parts of the country that would…
The yellows must fancy their chances in this Remain seat The news that John Bercow is bowing to the inevitable and planning to stand down in the summer opens up the prospect of what could be a humdinger of a by-election. For it is hard seeing him continuing as an MP when he ceases to be Speaker. There is a tradition of outgoing Speakers not staying around in the House and such a move by Bercow would follow recent precedents….
Puzzled by all the Brexit options floating around? Here's my summary of where we stand (thoughts / clarifications on this presentation welcome – aiming for a neutral presentation of all of the options) pic.twitter.com/IVfQIYonHi — David Henig ?? (@DavidHenigUK) October 16, 2018 DD’s former chief of staff @BrexitStewart accuses May of “duplicity and mendacity”, says she is “Nixonian in her modus operandi” and vows she will be taken out by Brexiteer MPs… “Her removal would be the start of a…
Can he hang on? When the report on sexual harassment in the Palace of Westminster came out yesterday I thought that Bercow was extremely lucky over the timing. Everything at the moment is so focused on the critical stages in Britain’s exit from the EU that what in normal times would be a colossal political development was going to get sidelined. This morning’s newspapers suggest otherwise and my initial view was wrong. Although print circulations are drastically down on the…
Total VW car sales UK last year 208,462 Total VW car sales world wide 10.3m So the UK accounts for about of VW's production 2% — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 15, 2018 Mike Smithson Follow @MSmithsonPB Tweet
Current polling finds LAB shedding support – not gaining it With all the current speculation about a new election and the possibility of Corbyn becoming PM the latest polling is being sidelined and the question of where LAB’s required new support is going to come from is hardly mentioned. The shock result at the last election has impacted greatly on both main parties in very different ways. The Tories fear the Labour threat and can’t take comfort in their polling…