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Month: July 2019

The new order from the Honourable Member for the 18th Century

The new order from the Honourable Member for the 18th Century

A brave move from from BoJo’s fellow Etonian ITV News has just published the above – one of the first executive acts by Leader of the House, Moggsy. Maybe I didn’t have the same privileged education but is not this just the sort of thing that is going to open him, and the Johnson regime to ridicule. For all non-titled male MPs to have Esq after their names is taking us back generations. In my entire career going back to…

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The July local by-elections see the LD surge continuing

The July local by-elections see the LD surge continuing

(And that’s not just party political boasting either!) Local By-Election Review : July 2019 Votes Cast Liberal Democrats 8,096 votes (38% +18% on last time) winning 8 seats (+5 on last time) Conservatives 6,018 votes (28% -10% on last time) winning 2 seats (-4 on last time) Labour 2,672 votes (12% -9% on last time) winning 1 seat (-2 on last time) Independent candidates 1,622 votes (8% +3% on last time) winning 1 seat (unchanged on last time) Plaid Cymru…

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The current LAB/Corbyn approach raises the question: What are oppositions for?

The current LAB/Corbyn approach raises the question: What are oppositions for?

  At the start of Francesco Rosi’s 1984 film of Carmen, there is a scene in which the bull, enraged but weakened by the fight, the loss of blood from wounds caused by lances and the many banderillas thrust into its head, is finally despatched by the toreador inserting a sword between the beast’s shoulder blades into the heart.  It mirrors the final scene when Jose, maddened by Carmen’s indifference, kills her in the same arena.  The scene does not…

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Swinson and Farage should now be included in polling “best PM” ratings alongside Johnson and Corbyn

Swinson and Farage should now be included in polling “best PM” ratings alongside Johnson and Corbyn

Latest surveys are clear  – the binary CON-LAB choice much less applicable Given that UK politics has changed dramatically in the last three months to reflect a four party choice  surely the time has come to to include in the options the newly elected leader of the Lib Dems, Jo Swinson and the Brexit party leader for life Nigel Farage in “Best PM” polling. Simply sticking to the old CON-LAB leader format is not providing interesting information that could help…

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PM Johnson’s first front pages after the day when he was most powerful

PM Johnson’s first front pages after the day when he was most powerful

Team Boris will be very pleased with the way the papers are treating his arrival at number 10 and and his new cabinet. They reflect that he has made a massive impact. In one sense he is fortunate that the parliamentary summer holiday starts today day and and MPs won’t be back until early September. It was all designed like this to prevent an early vote of confidence. One of the things about taking over as prime minister is that…

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Punters pile on to a 2019 general election in reaction to Johnson’s cabinet

Punters pile on to a 2019 general election in reaction to Johnson’s cabinet

The view of those ready to risk their cash betting on politics is that Johnson’s cabinet appointments suggest that the new PM is aiming for an early general election perhaps this year. GE2019 is now almost an evens chance on the Betfair exchange. He takes over a parliamentary party that is somewhat smaller than TMay inherited when she became leader in 2016. She had a majority and blew it with her decision to call GE2017 which, of course, saw the…

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Why I’ve resigned from the Conservative Party

Why I’ve resigned from the Conservative Party

  From longstanding PBer Richard Nabavi After five decades of support for the Conservatives, I have now resigned as a party member. Naturally this hasn’t been an easy decision; it has been a pleasure working with my MP Nus Ghani, and before her Charles Hendry, and helping in a small way in various constituencies to achieve six years of sound Conservative-led government under David Cameron, even if the past two years have been increasingly difficult. I shall miss the opportunities…

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