“How could I have known?” is the cry of palookas at the card tables everywhere. It’s a cry that’s been heard much in political circles in the last few years. In short order, David Cameron won an overall majority in 2015, Leave won the EU referendum in June 2016, Donald Trump won the presidential election in November 2016 and Theresa May lost her overall majority in June last year. None of these events had been expected by the pundits. But…
EXCLUSIVE – Nigel Farage says "just maybe I’m reaching the point of thinking that we should have a second referendum on EU membership".@Nigel_Farage | @Matthew_Wright | #wrightstuff pic.twitter.com/T0fROToskr — The Wright Stuff (@5WrightStuff) January 11, 2018 Probably the biggest development this morning has been the comments by the former UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, in a tv interview about a second referendum on Brexit. Generally up until now the only people advocating a second vote at those who are very strongly…
The PB / Polling Matters podcast returns for a new year with a new format. The podcast starts with Keiran Pedley and Leo Barasi discussing the latest news stories from the past week. Leo talks about this week’s reshuffle and the recent hiring and resignation of Toby Young and what it means for the Tories. Keiran then gives his impression on the latest goings on in Trump-land and whether Oprah could really run for president. Keiran and Leo then unveil…
Boondocks And she’s a favourability rating of 55% New polling just out this afternoon from the right-leaning pollster Rasmussen has a big boost for TV personality, Oprah Winfrey who has now entered, though not the race, the frame for WH20020. This is from the pollster: “TV personality Oprah Winfrey is the likely winner over President Trump if the 2020 election were held today, but there are a lot of undecideds. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds…
There’s still no obvious alternative The former shadow CON minister and head of ConHome, Paul Goodman, has given his damning verdict on the reshuffle under the heading “The worst-handled reshuffle in recent history – perhaps ever”. This, of course, follows other PM “set pieces” like her October conference speech and the GE17 campaign that didn’t go according to plan. He highlights that “for several days, the media was full of stories about why the Prime Minister didn’t rate Justine Greening….
Trump versus Kim: Fake News or The Day After Tomorrow? Thank you again to Nicholas Leonard and Helen Cochrane.
But does she want it? It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the American presidential election cycle seems to move. Donald Trump has only been in the White House since January last year and now all the talk is of the 2020 contest with a focus on who would be his Democratic opponent should he decide to run again. Following her widely publicised appearance at The Golden Globes on Sunday night in Los Angeles the talk is all about…
Toby Young resigns as May’s universities adviser over ‘ill-judged’ sexist tweets https://t.co/sZbBp9VB3i pic.twitter.com/oFcKOcvje9 — BI UK Politics (@BIUK_Politics) January 9, 2018 You can’t plead youthful indiscretion for things in your late 40s It was inevitable, I suppose, after all the weekend hiatus that Toby Young was not going to be able to survive in his new role on the board of the new University regulator. It is an OK defence to plead youthful indiscretion for things that you did in…