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Month: May 2015

We now have the actual wording of the referendum question

We now have the actual wording of the referendum question

pic.twitter.com/YLn0kAN9F0 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 28, 2015 “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union” As expected the wording of the EU referendum question makes remaining in the EU the YES option while leaving the NO one. There’s a view that people prefer to vote Yes to things than be negative and the planned wording therefore favours staying in the EU. I’m not so convinced. The last two big referendums, AV in 2011 and the IndyRef…

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Getting EVEL through will be a tough fight for the Tories

Getting EVEL through will be a tough fight for the Tories

The next move is with John Bercow A significant moment on this historic day in the commons was a point of order by Alex Salmond about the Tory plans to introduce EVEL (English Votes for English Laws) by changing the House’s standing orders. Salmond argues that this is a major constitutional issue and that the incoming government should not be allowed to make a change which creates two classes of MPs by using its majority to change standing orders –…

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Developments this afternoon show that Yvette Cooper is still very much in the LAB leadership race

Developments this afternoon show that Yvette Cooper is still very much in the LAB leadership race

Yvette Cooper is certainly not out of this. You can get her at 15/2 on Betfair http://t.co/JeIpAzTzkJ pic.twitter.com/xY4M8Hu9Yh — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 27, 2015 At current prices she’s the value bet This afternoon it’s been announced that a further six MPs have come out and said they are backing Yvette Cooper – a move that reminds me of Henry H Manson’s words on the site ten days ago about her having the best organised campaign. This fits with an…

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It looks as though Cameron will try to get referendum out of the way as soon as possible

It looks as though Cameron will try to get referendum out of the way as soon as possible

2016 now strong odds on favourite to be the year of the EU referendum pic.twitter.com/DFLH1KaVQQ — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 27, 2015 It’s Queen’s Speech day and the first time that Cameron had been able to act free of the restrictions of coalition. Judging from the headlines a key measure that the new government will seek to bring in quickly is the referendum on whether Britain should remain part of the EU. LAB had already said it will back the…

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PB Nighthawks is now open

PB Nighthawks is now open

Home of the web’s best political conversation Why not relax, and converse into the night on the day’s events in PB NightHawks. If you’re a lurker, when it comes to your lurking, why not, Give It Up, Get Down Tonight and get posting. The round up of recent events (click on the links below, and it will bring up the relevant link) Antifrank looks at 2020: the geography of Labour’s next campaign Liz Kendall: full story of the outsider who became…

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Ladbrokes saying that LAB leadership now a 2 horse race between Burnham & Kendall

Ladbrokes saying that LAB leadership now a 2 horse race between Burnham & Kendall

Breaking: @ChukaUmunna, @StephenTwigg, @EmmaReynoldsMP & @jreynoldsMP endorse @LizforLeader: http://t.co/QLcpqkDXyM pic.twitter.com/5By69wRHMY — The Staggers (@TheStaggers) May 26, 2015 Ladbrokes say LAB leadership now 2 horse race between Burnham 4/5 & Kendall 7/4 who this morning was endorsed by Chuka Umunna. — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 26, 2015 Very useful from the New Statesman. List of MPs’ endorsements of LAB leadership candidates – http://t.co/pBS4PqCfTL — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 26, 2015 I’m not sure that Yvette can be written out so easily…

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The widespread assumption that Dave won’t lead CON into the next election might be wrong

The widespread assumption that Dave won’t lead CON into the next election might be wrong

How much should we attach to the famous Landale interview? Whenever people discuss the next election they will invariably point out that the Tories will not, unlike 2010 and 2015, be led by David Cameron. All this is based on the televised kitchen conversation that the PM had with the BBC’s James Landale in March a week or so before the official campaign began. My reading after watching the video again is that this was not a firm commitment to…

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After the IndyRef experience it’s going to be harder not to allow 16/17 year olds to vote in the EU referendum

After the IndyRef experience it’s going to be harder not to allow 16/17 year olds to vote in the EU referendum

? Shadow Foreign Secretary @hilarybennmp says Labour will seek to change EU bill:http://t.co/iYJyvaiOon #wato pic.twitter.com/jfFcQzGRds — The World at One (@BBCWorldatOne) May 25, 2015 When Alex Salmond pushed through his measure to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote in last September’s IndyRef in Scotland it was only a matter of time before this became an issue for the whole of the country. With constitutional change, like Scotland going independent or Britain leaving the EU, there’s clearly a strong…

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