The big one: Cyclefree announces her awards for 2016

The big one: Cyclefree announces her awards for 2016

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Based on NO polling, focus groups or other quasi-scientific methods The Nicky Morgan Award for Lack of Self-Awareness A difficult one, this, with so many contenders, not least Ms Morgan herself. But in the end this was jointly shared by the EU and Britain. Both displayed monumental self-regard and a total inability to understand that, perhaps, just perhaps, their own behaviour had a teensy bit to do with why they could not get on. The Ken Livingstone Award for Trashing…

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Pre-Christmas voodoo surveys might have had a big move against BREXIT but that’s not been picked in proper polls

Pre-Christmas voodoo surveys might have had a big move against BREXIT but that’s not been picked in proper polls

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Express & Star Dec 24 2016 The YouGov view of BREXIT tracker There was a flurry of activity just before Christmas prompted by the publication in the Wolverhampton & Shropshire Express and Star of the “poll” at the top contrasting views on BREXIT now with a similar “poll” carried out in the same manner in March last year. As can be seen it shows a dramatic change in opinion. There are said to have been three other local newspaper polls…

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The St John PB Christmas Day Crossword

The St John PB Christmas Day Crossword

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Happy Christmas to everybody For several years there has been a Christmas Day cross-word on PB pioneered by long-standing PBer StJohn. Here’s the 2016 version – enjoy. Across 1. Fly in two bloggers (6) 4. Peacekeepers retreated while hiding a blogger – it’s sickening (8) 10. Left annoyed (6,3) 11. Speak at the lowest level (5) 12. Bill introduced by former Prime Minister under duress (7) 13. Ike’s and Abe’s, say? (7) 14. Division in Conservative Socialist Union (5) 15….

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Alastair Meeks on what we don’t know about Copeland

Alastair Meeks on what we don’t know about Copeland

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Early next year we have an intriguing by-election lined up.  The day after Parliament rose for its recess, Jamie Reed announced that he would be standing down as MP for Copeland to take up a role at Sellafield.  This sent commentators scrabbling for their atlases and constituency guides.  The following salient facts have been noted: Copeland and its predecessor seat Whitehaven have been Labour-held since 1935. The Labour majority is, however, just 7% over the Conservatives. No sitting government has…

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After a dramatic political year David Herdson looks at the big picture

After a dramatic political year David Herdson looks at the big picture

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David Herdson outside a famous front door Globalisation is pushing democracy to breaking point. What will give first? It started with a ship; the Belen Quezeda to be precise. Built in 1884 in Aberdeen, she led a colourful life. Originally named the Zafiro, she ploughed her trade as a collier before being bought by and commissioned into the US navy when it was short of a supply vessel during the Spanish-American War. After her naval service, she passed through further…

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Local By-Election Results December 22nd / December 2016 Summary

Local By-Election Results December 22nd / December 2016 Summary

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Aylesham (Lab defence) on Dover Result: Labour 460 (62% -6%), Conservative 283 (38%, no candidate in 2015) Labour HOLD with a majority of 177 (24%) on a notional swing of 22% from Labour to Conservative Hedge End, Wildern (Lib Dem defence) on Eastleigh Result: Liberal Democrat 672 (64% +22%), Conservative 263 (25% -3%), Labour 107 (10% -2%) Liberal Democrat HOLD with a majority of 409 (39%) on a swing of 12.5% from Conservative to Liberal Democrat December 2016 Local By-Election…

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Signs are that 2017 could be a big Westminster by-election year topping even 2016

Signs are that 2017 could be a big Westminster by-election year topping even 2016

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We know of two already and 2017 hasn’t even started One of the big trends in recent times, as the chart shows, has been for a big increase in by-elections caused by other than the death or health of the sitting MP. This year there’ve been seven contests with five of them in the “other” category. Ogmore and Toting were caused by the sitting MP either switching to the Welsh Assembly or becoming Mayor of London. Two of the other…

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