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Month: May 2005

The French EU referendum – it’s down to turnout

The French EU referendum – it’s down to turnout

Is this an election for punters to avoid? With the polls showing that 54-55% of French people say they will vote no in the EU constitutional referendum on Sunday the best price you can get on this outcome is 3/10 on. There are two main spread-betting markets operating :- IG Index have 47-49% on the proportion voting YES. Confusingly the Spreadfair market is on the proportion voting NO where the latest spread is 52-53.9% . Any deviation from what the…

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Could this man be the next President of the United States?

Could this man be the next President of the United States?

Barack Obama – 3rd favourite for the Democratic nomination Over the past few months there has been growing speculation that Barack Obama, a Senator from Illinois, might be the Democrat contender for the White House. He came to prominence with a major speech at the party Convention in Boston last July and in recent weeks has become third favourite in the betting behind Hilary Clinton and John Edwards. The best price you can get is 8/1. But a better long-shot…

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Could Michael Howard be forced out within weeks?

Could Michael Howard be forced out within weeks?

Is the Tory leader’s authority slipping away? Michael Howard’s pleasure at seeing his lifelong love, Liverpool, pull off that sensational victory in the European Cup last night could be tempered by the problems in his party that are the main lead in early editions of the Daily Telegraph. This is suggesting that moves might be afoot to force him out “within weeks” and to have his successor in place by the end of July. The report quotes an interview with…

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Will David Davis be rewarded for his forbearance in 2003?

Will David Davis be rewarded for his forbearance in 2003?

Will standing aside for Howard assure him the succession? Could the latest Conservative turmoil over the proposed changes in procedures for choosing the leader be just what David Davis needs to ensure that it is he who takes over from Michael Howard later in the year? For his supporters, no doubt, will remind colleagues how their man’s forbearance in October and November 2003 spared the party a divisive battle that could have left big scars in the run up to…

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Make money on a Labour vote slump in South Staffs?

Make money on a Labour vote slump in South Staffs?

Evens on 30% or less looks great value With less than a month to go before the electors of South Staffordshire get their chance to vote in the 2005 General Election more betting markets have now opened on the poll, incorrectly being described as a by-election, that had to be moved back from May 5th because of the death of the Liberal Democrat candidate. Even in the 2001 landslide the veteran Tory MP, Patrick Cormack, retained the seat with more…

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The French Referendum: the money goes on NON

The French Referendum: the money goes on NON

Could there be a late swing back to OUI? The latest polls showing gathering support for the NON position in the weekend referendum in France on the EU Constitution has seen sharp changes in the betting where the NON outcome is now the firm favourite. The best bookmaker price is 8/11 with the Betfair market showing 0.75/1. The Spreadfair spread betting exchange on the percentage the NON side will get is showing 51-51.5% – so there’s probably better value there…

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Did the “Labour dirty tricks” film tell us anything new?

Did the “Labour dirty tricks” film tell us anything new?

Was the billing bigger than the content? Over the past few days there’s been a lot of hype about tonight’s Dispatches documentary on Channel 4 in which a young worker, Jenny Kleeman (above) was “planted” in Labour’s London press office to find out how Tony Blair’s party fought the election. The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Labour party was ” braced for criticism” over the programme’s allegations of dirty tricks. The Telegraph focussed on the allegation that “Labour used its…

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Did Labour lose half a million votes in the final 48 hours?

Did Labour lose half a million votes in the final 48 hours?

Should Tony Blair have had a positive message to close on? The closing two days of the campaign were dominated by Labour’s no holds barred warning of the dangers of what could happen if one in ten party supporters did not vote or supported another party. Such was the importance of getting this message across that it devoted its entire final election broadcast on the Tuesday to the subject. The emphasis was almost 100% on the negative. Yet looking back…

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