I've always despised that smug fecker Kellner i hope there is a majority either way just to ruin his credibility.
A majority either way is just about the only thing we can say with any certainty is not going to happen. I do think his nightmare scenario is pretty realistic in terms of numbers and the general trajectory of the polls: Labour and LD propped up by the SNP until they are ready to collapse it. But we definitely have a chance of getting enough seats to stop that from happening. With Labour having to absolutely rely on English voters to form a government, they can be stopped and really should be too given who we are running against.
Just back from three hours with Philip Hammond - and security detail quietly in the background- in search of the voters of Weybridge and actually finding quite a few. He knocked on the doors like any other canvasser and faced the brunt of some sharp questioning as well as a solid measure of support.
Politics apart, only I think in Britain, would the Foreign Secretary (and doubtless other senior Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet Ministers) spend the time seriously engaging with their constituents and hearing an authentic vox pop. Quite humbling to see the democratic process at work.
PS We chatted about the national picture - I am pleased to report that all seems to be going as planned but will say no more, squire!
Why do the Tories need to canvass Weybridge ?
Well, it's part of his own constituency (main reason) but the area where we went canvassing is highly marginal for the Council elections.
Didn't think there was anywhere remotely marginal for the tories in runnymede and Weybridge!
The nightmare result in terms of forming another government: the Tories arithmetically unable to form a government, Labour "morally" unable to form a government.
Kellner is still giving the Yellow Peril 4 seats in Scotland which is bizarre. SNP on 50 on that gives Labour + SNP/PC a clear majority of 2.
Well, not all accounts. It is baffling that it isn't all, but...the polls are wrong, that's all. And the Tories always underperform those polls, so really, even with the average of polls being about tied, they're 4 points ahead or so. Which, granted, still isn't enough to win for certain, but it's closer at least.
I really was hoping for a run of polls with only one party in the lead, however slight, to shift things a little, but the polls won't play ball. Upsetting.
When did "pole" position become poll position ?
I was giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming it was a weakish pun!
Just back from three hours with Philip Hammond - and security detail quietly in the background- in search of the voters of Weybridge and actually finding quite a few. He knocked on the doors like any other canvasser and faced the brunt of some sharp questioning as well as a solid measure of support.
Politics apart, only I think in Britain, would the Foreign Secretary (and doubtless other senior Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet Ministers) spend the time seriously engaging with their constituents and hearing an authentic vox pop. Quite humbling to see the democratic process at work.
PS We chatted about the national picture - I am pleased to report that all seems to be going as planned but will say no more, squire!
Why do the Tories need to canvass Weybridge ?
Well, it's part of his own constituency (main reason) but the area where we went canvassing is highly marginal for the Council elections.
Didn't think there was anywhere remotely marginal for the tories in runnymede and Weybridge!
St George's Hill (must win) and Weybridge North (must hold) are essential if My Reign of Harmonious Tranquility is to be perpetuated. Philip knows this.
I had a white patch on my tongue in 2013 that may or may not have been cancerous (had to have biopsy, weeks of waiting then laser surgery) and whilst it WAS a pretty stressful time I did manage to avoid hitting anyone or being generally horrible to people....
All the polls recently, except the odd ICM one have been within MOE, nothing to get excited about at all. All point to approx 34%:34%. Given that the postal votes are already going out it seems very unlikely much will change at all in next 18 days.
The conclusion from this is that the anti tory block is almost certain to have at least 323 votes in HoC which means that David Cameron will be unable to form a government, however many seats he actually ends up with. My guess is he will not leave No10 until forced to do so by loosing a vote of confidence (I suspect this was behind the shenanigans with Bercow on the last day of term) which will all be very unpleasant and no good for politics in general, it will certainly wind up the tory posters on here
Check out Nelson's twitter time line. Maybe Nicola is making another convert following Dan Hodges recent Damascene moment.
Well, well. His
"@NicolaSturgeon I have 17 aunts and uncles and 32 cousins. You can’t take them all (I hope...)"
was a splendid retort -
but this is an interesting comment, and very true given the reluctance of the Unonist party leaders to meet the ordinary Scot over the last two years:
"Nicola Strurgeon just met my auntie in the street while campaigning. In Scotland, it seems, political leaders meet voters in the street."
"@kmacraeplockton will nothing stop @NicolaSturgeon? where is her entourage? Can’t she just campaign in an empty bloody cowshed like Cameron?"
and
"@theSNP can’t you stop this ‘campaigning in the street meeting voters’ stuff? Can’t you see the havoc its causing? Never heard of a bubble?"
The Elite don't get to become and stay as the Elite without knowing when to back a different horse. With Hodges yesterday, Nelson today, this is just the start of a long string of Wesminster right wing loons trying to appease the SNP so they can hold on to their privilege in the face of a genuinely progressive UK government.
It won't work of course. Someone needs to remind them how many SNP have become vermin in ermine.
Not that surprising given YouGov has generally been poor for Con for the last couple of weeks.
Also I wonder what proportion of the YouGov sample saw the BBC debate? I would guess 35% to 40% (compared to 10% of the adult population) - and that group will be punishing Cameron for not turning up.
Yougov changed their polling methodology and 2% tory leads became 2% labour leads.
A warning. My list may contain typos which totally inadvertently give a boost to the Tories at the expense of Labour.
Happens to the best of us.
Someone who shall remain nameless, during a stint as Guest Editor of PB, said an ICM poll had Con ahead by 6% ahead in the headline, when in fact it was Lab ahead by 6%
The nightmare result in terms of forming another government: the Tories arithmetically unable to form a government, Labour "morally" unable to form a government.
Kellner is still giving the Yellow Peril 4 seats in Scotland which is bizarre. SNP on 50 on that gives Labour + SNP/PC a clear majority of 2.
Yellow peril 2nd in seats and 5 th or 6 th in the vote in Scotland would underline the absurdity of fptp.can't see it happening though!
All the polls recently, except the odd ICM one have been within MOE, nothing to get excited about at all. All point to approx 34%:34%. Given that the postal votes are already going out it seems very unlikely much will change at all in next 18 days.
The conclusion from this is that the anti tory block is almost certain to have at least 323 votes in HoC which means that David Cameron will be unable to form a government, however many seats he actually ends up with. My guess is he will not leave No10 until forced to do so by loosing a vote of confidence (I suspect this was behind the shenanigans with Bercow on the last day of term) which will all be very unpleasant and no good for politics in general, it will certainly wind up the tory posters on here
Silliest post i've read this week. What if opinium or ICM are correct.
Stand up if you're a One Nation Tory and think Ed represents you more than Dave.
Ed's in trouble when he needs to appeal to Tories to reach his 35% strategy....
And the Tories are not relying on others to reach their '5% gap strategy'?
I don't think they are using the direct opposition ie. Labour voters to do this though.
The £8bn NHS pledge shows otherwise. Con/Lab direct switching is the most effective way of holding on or gaining seats. I don't think Ed's plea to one nation Tories is going to be particularly effective, but it makes sense to try.
May I recommend a polling weekly average (from Wednesday to Wednesday because the election is on a Thursday) containing only the pollsters that perform weekly polls for certain and can easily be reconstructed far into the past (yougov, opinium, populus, LordA)? Because tonight we have one poll pointing to a Tory majority and another pointing to a Labour majority.
I'm pretty pleased with myself. My reminder on the image site imgur that everyone's vote is worth something - and that viewers in the UK should remember to register - has been viewed 22,000 worldwide. I hope people have registered off the back of it.
I've always despised that smug fecker Kellner i hope there is a majority either way just to ruin his credibility.
Well unless there's convergence in the next three weeks, someone's seriously wrong. Currently Kellner is showing Labour just about ahead ( 0-3%) and Opinium and ICM have the Tories ahead by probably similar margins. Ok there a 34/36 each position that just about squares the circle in the middle but given one lot seem to one side of zero and the others on the other we have an issue.
The odds still still favour Ed given he only has to get to 260/5 ish and Cameron has to get to 300ish , but all results are possible and utter stalemate as currently forecast by Kellner is not unlikely. Ed remains likely to theoretically get over the line but his final ten of his "majority" may well consist of Plaid, SDLP, Caroline Lucas, and Gorgeous George. Add in 20 of the permanent awkward squad of the Labour hard left and it's an utter zoo.
He'll be a PM on the shortest leash ever. Buy Swiss francs.
When will David Cameron plea to Monster Raving Loony and The Elvis Party supporters to vote tactically for the Tories to keep His Crapness out of Number 10?
All the polls recently, except the odd ICM one have been within MOE, nothing to get excited about at all. All point to approx 34%:34%. Given that the postal votes are already going out it seems very unlikely much will change at all in next 18 days.
The conclusion from this is that the anti tory block is almost certain to have at least 323 votes in HoC which means that David Cameron will be unable to form a government, however many seats he actually ends up with. My guess is he will not leave No10 until forced to do so by loosing a vote of confidence (I suspect this was behind the shenanigans with Bercow on the last day of term) which will all be very unpleasant and no good for politics in general, it will certainly wind up the tory posters on here
Silliest post i've read this week. What if opinium or ICM are correct.
Still no majority because the LD numbers collapse. In any case, I am not sure the Lib Dems if they have any sense will support the Tories.
A close relative who had assured me she was going to vote Labour told me yesterday she had changed her mind and was now going to vote Conservative.
"Why?" I asked
"Because the Conservatives were going to pay for 33 hours a week child minding" she answered sheepishly.
I knew then the game was up for Ed.
I posted the other day, out canvassing that was the policy most mentioned on the doorstep, not Right to Buy, or anything else.
If the Tories were to sneak the election based on this, they will be in big trouble in 2020. This policy is one that does not happen overnight, just ask the SNP. The likelihood is that at least 10 years will be needed for that level of increase.
All the polls recently, except the odd ICM one have been within MOE, nothing to get excited about at all. All point to approx 34%:34%. Given that the postal votes are already going out it seems very unlikely much will change at all in next 18 days.
The conclusion from this is that the anti tory block is almost certain to have at least 323 votes in HoC which means that David Cameron will be unable to form a government, however many seats he actually ends up with. My guess is he will not leave No10 until forced to do so by loosing a vote of confidence (I suspect this was behind the shenanigans with Bercow on the last day of term) which will all be very unpleasant and no good for politics in general, it will certainly wind up the tory posters on here
Silliest post i've read this week. What if opinium or ICM are correct.
What if they're not? The average of polls may not be correct, but it's not silly to use it as a starting off point for analysis.
There is only one party with the momentum and the movement is all in one direction.
No party has momentum (though Ed M has a bit) - but only one party needs momentum now (though the other would like to have it to make things easier)
A gentle float upwards of only one or two percent will mean His Crapness will be standing outside Number 10.
He doesn't even need that, if he's lucky, though since that is the probable outcome it's probably best for all of us that he gets as many seats as he can to strengthen his position against the SNP.
May I recommend a polling weekly average (from Wednesday to Wednesday because the election is on a Thursday) containing only the pollsters that perform weekly polls for certain and can easily be reconstructed far into the past (yougov, opinium, populus, LordA)? Because tonight we have one poll pointing to a Tory majority and another pointing to a Labour majority.
Perhaps it would be easier if we just bet on which polling company's are likely to survive the May 2015 general election and will still be around for the Autumn 2015 general election?
I've always despised that smug fecker Kellner i hope there is a majority either way just to ruin his credibility.
Well unless there's convergence in the next three weeks, someone's seriously wrong. Currently Kellner is showing Labour just about ahead ( 0-3%) and Opinium and ICM have the Tories ahead by probably similar margins. Ok there a 34/36 each position that just about squares the circle in the middle but given one lot seem to one side of zero and the others on the other we have an issue.
The odds still still favour Ed given he only has to get to 260/5 ish and Cameron has to get to 300ish , but all results are possible and utter stalemate as currently forecast by Kellner is not unlikely. Ed remains likely to theoretically get over the line but his final ten of his "majority" may well consist of Plaid, SDLP, Caroline Lucas, and Gorgeous George. Add in 20 of the permanent awkward squad of the Labour hard left and it's an utter zoo.
He'll be a PM on the shortest leash ever. Buy Swiss francs.
Well Austerity will be buried, sterling will fall. British industry will export again.
If ever there was an opportunity to lower sterling, it is now with commodity prices low and inflation almost negative. It might even be a good thing.
I've always despised that smug fecker Kellner i hope there is a majority either way just to ruin his credibility.
Well unless there's convergence in the next three weeks, someone's seriously wrong. Currently Kellner is showing Labour just about ahead ( 0-3%) and Opinium and ICM have the Tories ahead by probably similar margins. Ok there a 34/36 each position that just about squares the circle in the middle but given one lot seem to one side of zero and the others on the other we have an issue.
The odds still still favour Ed given he only has to get to 260/5 ish and Cameron has to get to 300ish , but all results are possible and utter stalemate as currently forecast by Kellner is not unlikely. Ed remains likely to theoretically get over the line but his final ten of his "majority" may well consist of Plaid, SDLP, Caroline Lucas, and Gorgeous George. Add in 20 of the permanent awkward squad of the Labour hard left and it's an utter zoo.
He'll be a PM on the shortest leash ever. Buy Swiss francs.
Never thought it would be pretty. But it might for thse of a warped sense of humour be funny.
I'll clamp down on employers not paying immigrant workers the minimum wage.
The truth is you can't (easily) clamp down on employers who work outside the legitimate rules. They are the ones not paying minimum wage, the criminal employers ones that are off the books and under the radar. Extra visits from extra officials and don't find them.
I've always despised that smug fecker Kellner i hope there is a majority either way just to ruin his credibility.
Well unless there's convergence in the next three weeks, someone's seriously wrong. Currently Kellner is showing Labour just about ahead ( 0-3%) and Opinium and ICM have the Tories ahead by probably similar margins. Ok there a 34/36 each position that just about squares the circle in the middle but given one lot seem to one side of zero and the others on the other we have an issue.
The odds still still favour Ed given he only has to get to 260/5 ish and Cameron has to get to 300ish , but all results are possible and utter stalemate as currently forecast by Kellner is not unlikely. Ed remains likely to theoretically get over the line but his final ten of his "majority" may well consist of Plaid, SDLP, Caroline Lucas, and Gorgeous George. Add in 20 of the permanent awkward squad of the Labour hard left and it's an utter zoo.
He'll be a PM on the shortest leash ever. Buy Swiss francs.
Well Austerity will be buried, sterling will fall. British industry will export again.
If ever there was an opportunity to lower sterling, it is now with commodity prices low and inflation almost negative. It might even be a good thing.
We will also send Osborne appointee Carney home.
Haven't you seen how low sterling already is with the dollar
Just back from three hours with Philip Hammond - and security detail quietly in the background- in search of the voters of Weybridge and actually finding quite a few. He knocked on the doors like any other canvasser and faced the brunt of some sharp questioning as well as a solid measure of support.
Politics apart, only I think in Britain, would the Foreign Secretary (and doubtless other senior Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet Ministers) spend the time seriously engaging with their constituents and hearing an authentic vox pop. Quite humbling to see the democratic process at work.
PS We chatted about the national picture - I am pleased to report that all seems to be going as planned but will say no more, squire!
Will we see this in Britain though?
Footage has emerged of the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, knocking back a large glass of beer in only seven seconds.
it would make a better alternative to the debates. Plaid Cymru would probably win.
Bollocks. Farage is a zulu warrior!
I must disagree. Leanne Wood is, as she is always keen to point out, from the Rhondda. And as such, would trounce Farage in a pint drinking contest, hell...even a boatrace should she feel like it. Us Rhondda folk take our quaffing abilities seriously.
Hmm. Don't know about that. I drank a few of your boys under the table when I worked the bars at Cardiff University back in the 80s. Mind you your rugby team was doing poorly then as well so maybe the two were linked. Maybe the 80s Valley Boys had just gone soft for a while :-)
Do you recall "Drink the Dyfed dry" of the early 80's student union?? Ah Halcyon afternoons and evenings in the Gwent. Got a bit pissed one lunchtime and ended up in Paris the next morning... Oh to be 19 again.
Okay this is getting scary. When were you there? I was there 83 to 86. Before they tarted the whole union up and ruined it :-)
82-86. So before they tarted it up to the Hanging Gardens or "the banging hardons" as my girlfriend of the time somewhat mischievously called it.
Same time then. Any political affiliations then? I used to write once in a while for Gair Rhydd and got into trouble with the zoology department for writing an anti vivisection piece.
I've always despised that smug fecker Kellner i hope there is a majority either way just to ruin his credibility.
Well unless there's convergence in the next three weeks, someone's seriously wrong. Currently Kellner is showing Labour just about ahead ( 0-3%) and Opinium and ICM have the Tories ahead by probably similar margins. Ok there a 34/36 each position that just about squares the circle in the middle but given one lot seem to one side of zero and the others on the other we have an issue.
The odds still still favour Ed given he only has to get to 260/5 ish and Cameron has to get to 300ish , but all results are possible and utter stalemate as currently forecast by Kellner is not unlikely. Ed remains likely to theoretically get over the line but his final ten of his "majority" may well consist of Plaid, SDLP, Caroline Lucas, and Gorgeous George. Add in 20 of the permanent awkward squad of the Labour hard left and it's an utter zoo.
He'll be a PM on the shortest leash ever. Buy Swiss francs.
Well Austerity will be buried, sterling will fall. British industry will export again.
If ever there was an opportunity to lower sterling, it is now with commodity prices low and inflation almost negative. It might even be a good thing.
We will also send Osborne appointee Carney home.
Haven't you seen how low sterling already is with the dollar
Glad to see some pb'ers noting us dollar strength. You can't say you weren't warned by me.
Welcome my friend! .I don't trust you gov either with their restricted samples. Let's see if other polls move in the tories favour over the coming week. My gut feel is that the electorate will give Cameron the weakest possible manage to remain in downing street even if it means con plus yellow peril plus dup being 323.let's see!
I hear David Cameron has issued a plea to SNP voters in Scotland to vote Tory so he can win 50 seats in Sotland.
That would be quite funny if the 50 seats were not the ones that SNP are going to take from Labour.
It would really,really be funny if the SNP hadn `t said they will vote down a Tory government come what may.
Indeed.... Which leads to an interesting situation in a hung parliament. Nothing can be achieved by anyone as they all vote each other down. It's going to keep the history book writers in business for quite a while I suspect and provide hours of amusement as the country slowly sinks into the abyss.
Unless of course Ed works with the SNP .and become.Nicolas "bitch". Which he will of course despite what he says at the moment.
I hear David Cameron has issued a plea to SNP voters in Scotland to vote Tory so he can win 50 seats in Sotland.
That would be quite funny if the 50 seats were not the ones that SNP are going to take from Labour.
It would really,really be funny if the SNP hadn `t said they will vote down a Tory government come what may.
Indeed.... Which leads to an interesting situation in a hung parliament. Nothing can be achieved by anyone as they all vote each other down. It's going to keep the history book writers in business for quite a while I suspect and provide hours of amusement as the country slowly sinks into the abyss.
Unless of course Ed works with the SNP .and become.Nicolas "bitch". Which he will of course despite what he says at the moment.
A proper plague on all your houses result. Would ed risk working with the snp in such a scenario when knowing a 2nd election would be a big possibility within a year.
I had a white patch on my tongue in 2013 that may or may not have been cancerous (had to have biopsy, weeks of waiting then laser surgery) and whilst it WAS a pretty stressful time I did manage to avoid hitting anyone or being generally horrible to people....
Relief all round. What this straw poll reveals is that cancer scares cause people to behave in character. This is a lot more that the straw polls that Newspapers pay heavily for reveal.
Bit of a puzzle: Tories 8 points ahead in England with Opinium, Labour heading for disaster in Scotland, and yet the reds are 3 points ahead overall with YouGov...
All the polls recently, except the odd ICM one have been within MOE, nothing to get excited about at all. All point to approx 34%:34%. Given that the postal votes are already going out it seems very unlikely much will change at all in next 18 days.
The conclusion from this is that the anti tory block is almost certain to have at least 323 votes in HoC which means that David Cameron will be unable to form a government, however many seats he actually ends up with. My guess is he will not leave No10 until forced to do so by loosing a vote of confidence (I suspect this was behind the shenanigans with Bercow on the last day of term) which will all be very unpleasant and no good for politics in general, it will certainly wind up the tory posters on here
Silliest post i've read this week. What if opinium or ICM are correct.
Opinium is within MOE of approx 34%:34%. Even if ICM are more right than everyone else and there there is a smallish tory lead the maths in the HoC is still there. All the anti tory block has to do (Lab, SNP, SDLP, PC, Green, Lady Hermon) has to do is get to 323 and they stop a tory government, and this assumes everyone else is prepared to actively support the tories which is by no means certain. For instance a Cleggless libdem group could well decide to abstain.To be reasonably certain of remaining the government the tories need at least 295 seats which seems a very tall order indeed
Not really but knew several that were. Bit wary of naming names in public - doesn't seem fair on them. I have little doubt we must have mutual acquaintances. Bill Rammel ( ex minister for universities and MP for Harlow) was Union president when I arrived ( that's in the public domain). I recall too one politico once put a union minibus in a ditch, Labour getting utterly wiped out in a student election as they didn't understand STV. I can also recall a well known current Welsh politician face down next to his curry in the Himalaya on Wellfield Rd. Apparently one of the Labour firebrands of the time went off and made a fortune in PR and now lives in a big pile in Surrey (!) . All good stuff.
Gair Rhydd is still going and had a 40th anniversary edition recently where I and some friends gleefully pointed out some headlines we remembered (eg the minibus incident above) to friends' kids who are students there now (God I'm old!).
As I learnt to PM yesterday ( thanks to Tabman). PM me if you like.
Comments
Nige will take us back to the 50s.
Dave will take us back to the 30s.
As usual Nicola trumps them all, it's back to 1707.
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/voting-intention-2/communicate
Try RobD's list, or the wiki list
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2015_United_Kingdom_general_election#2015
C 34, L 33, UKIP 12, LD 12, Grn 4
The conclusion from this is that the anti tory block is almost certain to have at least 323 votes in HoC which means that David Cameron will be unable to form a government, however many seats he actually ends up with. My guess is he will not leave No10 until forced to do so by loosing a vote of confidence (I suspect this was behind the shenanigans with Bercow on the last day of term) which will all be very unpleasant and no good for politics in general, it will certainly wind up the tory posters on here
It won't work of course. Someone needs to remind them how many SNP have become vermin in ermine.
Tut @ Ant.
You are DH and I claim my prize!
Someone who shall remain nameless, during a stint as Guest Editor of PB, said an ICM poll had Con ahead by 6% ahead in the headline, when in fact it was Lab ahead by 6%
I don't think they are using the direct opposition ie. Labour voters to do this though.
But would result in EICIPM
I suspect I'll make John Rentoul's QTWTAIN list, again.
"Why?" I asked
"Because the Conservatives were going to pay for 33 hours a week child minding" she answered sheepishly.
I knew then the game was up for Ed.
Typical Tory. This sort of thing works one way only!
Also had him at Evs with a 5.5 frames start when 7-3
It seemed he was always the underdog and David looked like he had won when Ed pipped David at the post.
Because tonight we have one poll pointing to a Tory majority and another pointing to a Labour majority.
When will Jack start adjusting his arse?
Also the best time to have momentum would be in a couple of weeks
The odds still still favour Ed given he only has to get to 260/5 ish and Cameron has to get to 300ish , but all results are possible and utter stalemate as currently forecast by Kellner is not unlikely. Ed remains likely to theoretically get over the line but his final ten of his "majority" may well consist of Plaid, SDLP, Caroline Lucas, and Gorgeous George. Add in 20 of the permanent awkward squad of the Labour hard left and it's an utter zoo.
He'll be a PM on the shortest leash ever. Buy Swiss francs.
Goodnight.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3044956/Rochdale-family-freed-detained-near-Syrian-border-quizzed-suspicion-preparing-terrorist-acts.html
Lab`s vote was expected by everyone including Kellner to have fallen by now.Hasn`t happened.
If ever there was an opportunity to lower sterling, it is now with commodity prices low and inflation almost negative. It might even be a good thing.
We will also send Osborne appointee Carney home.
I'll clamp down on employers not paying immigrant workers the minimum wage.
The truth is you can't (easily) clamp down on employers who work outside the legitimate rules. They are the ones not paying minimum wage, the criminal employers ones that are off the books and under the radar. Extra visits from extra officials and don't find them.
Selby missing some very easy shots.
You do keep trying don't you?
Hope you are well.
Lol yougov I only follow icm
33.5 + 33.5 + 16.5 + 16.5 = 100
34 + 34 + 17 + 17 = 102
Unless of course Ed works with the SNP .and become.Nicolas "bitch". Which he will of course despite what he says at the moment.
I scanned the text but I can't find the entry for "install the hotline to Nicola"...
This is a lot more that the straw polls that Newspapers pay heavily for reveal.
;-)
This would be fun. Losing a Finance Bill vote would no longer lead to the government's resignation.
Not really but knew several that were. Bit wary of naming names in public - doesn't seem fair on them. I have little doubt we must have mutual acquaintances. Bill Rammel ( ex minister for universities and MP for Harlow) was Union president when I arrived ( that's in the public domain). I recall too one politico once put a union minibus in a ditch, Labour getting utterly wiped out in a student election as they didn't understand STV. I can also recall a well known current Welsh politician face down next to his curry in the Himalaya on Wellfield Rd. Apparently one of the Labour firebrands of the time went off and made a fortune in PR and now lives in a big pile in Surrey (!) . All good stuff.
Gair Rhydd is still going and had a 40th anniversary edition recently where I and some friends gleefully pointed out some headlines we remembered (eg the minibus incident above) to friends' kids who are students there now (God I'm old!).
As I learnt to PM yesterday ( thanks to Tabman). PM me if you like.