This bodes well for Labour to receive tactical votes – politicalbetting.com
Which potential coalitions have the most support from Britons?Lab-LD: 38% supportLab-LD-Grn: 38%Lab-Grn: 37%Con-Ref: 27%Con-LD: 23%Con-Grn: 20%Lab-SNP: 20%Con-Lab: 15%LD-Ref: 15%Lab-Ref: 10%yougov.co.uk/politics/art…
I don't think its just the centre-left who will vote tactically. An awful lot of centre-right voters have already defected to the LibDems in protest at the Tories. Many more will also make the same journey as the threat of Farage grows larger
The US will slash tariffs on Range Rovers and other UK-made cars to 10pc as part of Donald Trump’s trade deal with the UK, The Telegraph understands.
The reduction will form part of a 12-month “temporary arrangement” ahead of striking what Britain and the US hopes will be a comprehensive trade deal in the coming months.
It is understood that British car makers will be given a quota of 100,000 that will be able to be sent to American shores at lower tariffs
I don't think its just the centre-left who will vote tactically. An awful lot of centre-right voters have already defected to the LibDems in protest at the Tories. Many more will also make the same journey as the threat of Farage grows larger
I'm less conviced that this is a big group. If you liked Boris when he was darling of the right wing media and chattersphere, you will probably like Farage when he has the same backing.
US Agriculture minister to visit UK on Monday. So they must have got something on that score.
Well, he can leave his stinking chlorinated chickens back home...
(It'll probably be on the menu at Downing Street....)
The millions of column inches devoted to chlorinated chicken...I bet even if they did allow them in any deal (which they won't) we would hardly see it in the UK anyway. The US isn't cheap for food production these days, the big supermarkets and wholesalers can already go out and get cheap chicken from Thailand (the whole business model of Iceland is built on factory farming meat / fish in Thailand), same as loads of beef comes from Brazil because its cheap.
I don't think its just the centre-left who will vote tactically. An awful lot of centre-right voters have already defected to the LibDems in protest at the Tories. Many more will also make the same journey as the threat of Farage grows larger
I'm less conviced that this is a big group. If you liked Boris when he was darling of the right wing media and chattersphere, you will probably like Farage when he has the same backing.
Boris isn't centre right though. That coalition has completely fractured and disappeared.
US Agriculture minister to visit UK on Monday. So they must have got something on that score.
Well, he can leave his stinking chlorinated chickens back home...
(It'll probably be on the menu at Downing Street....)
The millions of column inches devoted to chlorinated chicken...I bet even if they did allow them in any deal (which they won't) we would hardly see it in the UK anyway. The US isn't cheap for food production these days, the big supermarkets and wholesalers can already go out and get cheap chicken from Thailand (the whole business model of Iceland is built on factory farming meat / fish in Thailand), same as loads of beef comes from Brazil because its cheap.
"There was me, that is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel, and my three droogs, that is Priti, Govey, and Dom, and we sat in the Kensington Milkbar trying to make up our Raaboodocks what to do with the evening. The Kensington Milkbar sold Milk-plus, milk plus Corn Syrup or GM Soya or Chlorinated Chicken, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old all-out trade war!"
US Agriculture minister to visit UK on Monday. So they must have got something on that score.
Well, he can leave his stinking chlorinated chickens back home...
(It'll probably be on the menu at Downing Street....)
The millions of column inches devoted to chlorinated chicken...I bet even if they did allow them in any deal (which they won't) we would hardly see it in the UK anyway. The US isn't cheap for food production these days, the big supermarkets and wholesalers can already go out and get cheap chicken from Thailand (the whole business model of Iceland is built on factory farming meat / fish in Thailand), same as loads of beef comes from Brazil because its cheap.
I don't think its just the centre-left who will vote tactically. An awful lot of centre-right voters have already defected to the LibDems in protest at the Tories. Many more will also make the same journey as the threat of Farage grows larger
I'm less conviced that this is a big group. If you liked Boris when he was darling of the right wing media and chattersphere, you will probably like Farage when he has the same backing.
Boris isn't centre right though. That coalition has completely fractured and disappeared.
Large chunks of the electorate don't care about left or right. Can he tell a good story or not is key to the appeal of the likes of Boris and Farage more than their political identity.
FPT: Off topic, but potentially good news: "In a darkening world, here’s an unlikely glimmer of light: Last month, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda signed a “declaration of principles” that could end an unspeakably brutal border war that has killed 6 million people over the past 30 years.
It’s a sign of how crazy Washington is these days that this remarkable good news went almost unnoticed. Maybe that’s because the omnipresent news magnet, President Donald Trump, had little to do with it. Instead, it was crafted quietly by a diverse group that included a bipartisan team of senators, a Biden administration intelligence chief, a Qatari mediator and, finally, the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany." source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/06/congo-rwanda-peace-trump-rubio/
(I say "potentially" because there are so many ways this could go wrong -- and powerful leaders with an incentive for sabotaging it. I don't think, for example, that "Emperor" Xi will be happy with the fact that the deal may give the West access to important minerals in the area.)
It will be interesting to see how many BLM supporters applaud this effort.
Chris Mason - Where's the PM right now? We're hoping nearby. Hello from what we hope is the right factory in the right town to hear from the prime minister. Downing Street managed to send us to the wrong factory in the wrong town. Whoops.
US Agriculture minister to visit UK on Monday. So they must have got something on that score.
Well, he can leave his stinking chlorinated chickens back home...
(It'll probably be on the menu at Downing Street....)
The millions of column inches devoted to chlorinated chicken...I bet even if they did allow them in any deal (which they won't) we would hardly see it in the UK anyway. The US isn't cheap for food production these days, the big supermarkets and wholesalers can already go out and get cheap chicken from Thailand (the whole business model of Iceland is built on factory farming meat / fish in Thailand), same as loads of beef comes from Brazil because its cheap.
We may not be world leaders in much these days, but when it comes to falling for evidence-free, hysterical food scares to justify counter-productive protectionism, we're up there with the best.
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
If we had PR, but we don't. Reform can win an overall majority.
They can indeed. And they might do so, on a pretty small (i.e. low 30s) share of the vote.
It's also possible that they are first in terms of national vote share, but end up with their opposition coalescing around a challenger, and get themselves squeezed. (See Scotland, and the way that first the Tories and then the SNP got "ganged up on".)
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Plenty of Green voters preferring to vote Green and passed up the opportunity to 'keep Farrage out'.
The Tory vote appears, by and large, to have gone over to Reform.
I think they did a bit, just not enough.
The 38.7% Labour and Reform each received was above opinion polling, particularly for Labour and was above what you'd expect for each of them from bare proportional swing.
Some of that dip in Tory and LD vote did serve to prop up Labour, but you're right, no support from the Green side, and not quite enough overall.
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Surprised at you recommending 'crawling' Big_G.
Personally, I think we should have told Trump where to go but on balance I suspect Starmer is playing a much shrewder game than Trump.
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Nigel and Kemi desperately need the narrative to return to the India deal and NI. They can't criticize this as a) it's supposed to be the pinnacle achievement of Brexit and b) it's being championed by Nige's mate.
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Nigel and Kemi desperately need the narrative to return to the India deal and NI. They can't criticize this as a) it's supposed to be the pinnacle achievement of Brexit and b) it's being championed by Nige's mate.
Trump is Starmer's mate now. It's the new Blair-Bush relationship with Starmer acting decisively to sabotage any global anti-Trump coalition.
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Surprised at you recommending 'crawling' Big_G.
Personally, I think we should have told Trump where to go but on balance I suspect Starmer is playing a much shrewder game than Trump.
It certainly is a win for Starmer and as such justifies his means
I expect this is very difficult for Davey and the Lib Dems
The UK will be able to send 100,000 cars into the US on the original 10% baseline tariff. Rolls Royce engines and parts for aeroplanes can be exported from the UK to the US tariff free, he says.
Starmer and Trump now Donald and Keir and certainly it seems a win for Starmer
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
Nigel and Kemi desperately need the narrative to return to the India deal and NI. They can't criticize this as a) it's supposed to be the pinnacle achievement of Brexit and b) it's being championed by Nige's mate.
Trump is Starmer's mate now. It's the new Blair-Bush relationship with Starmer acting decisively to sabotage any global anti-Trump coalition.
You had me until the second half of the second sentence: "decisively" indeed
I actually think this is sensible: Firstly, the restrictions didn't really work. Secondly, they acted as a massive stimulus to China to develop its own AI chip capability. It's probably more in the US's interests that China buys their chips.
However... (a) it's a bit late, as China now has massive tariffs on US exports, and (b) the US has proven itself to be an unreliable partner, so why would you trust that such restrictions are lifted forever?
I actually think this is sensible: Firstly, the restrictions didn't really work. Secondly, they acted as a massive stimulus to China to develop its own AI chip capability. It's probably more in the US's interests that China buys their chips.
However... (a) it's a bit late, as China now has massive tariffs on US exports, and (b) the US has proven itself to be an unreliable partner, so why would you trust that such restrictions are lifted forever?
It's something of a carrot to the EU who were quite unhappy about the effects on the single market.
I actually think this is sensible: Firstly, the restrictions didn't really work. Secondly, they acted as a massive stimulus to China to develop its own AI chip capability. It's probably more in the US's interests that China buys their chips.
However... (a) it's a bit late, as China now has massive tariffs on US exports, and (b) the US has proven itself to be an unreliable partner, so why would you trust that such restrictions are lifted forever?
And (c) ..While no timeline exists for the new rule, the spokeswoman indicated that officials are still debating the best approach to replace it...
There is very little detail or headline grabbing things all round so far. JLR get to send their cars at rates they used to, the US get to send us some dodgy beef.
There’s no hormone beef or chlorinated chicken . The beef that will be imported is non hormone .
Overall I think what’s been reported is okay .
The Americans clearly think they can push it further...
"This is going to exponentially increase our beef exports. And to be very clear, American beef is the safest, the best quality, and the crown jewel of American agriculture for the world," Rollins says. Looking ahead, Rollins says "all of the meats, all of the produce" are being considered for agricultural export.
The deal is: US trebles tariffs on the UK, and in return the UK cuts tariffs by two-thirds…
This from Lutnick’s chart in the White House…
To be fair, given the absolute ignorance that has lead to this, from "VAT is a tariff" to "trade deficits are tariffs", this could refer to absolutely anything.
REPORTER: But we're seeing as a result that ports here in the US, the traffic has really slowed and now thousands of dockworkers are truck drivers are worried about their jobs
TRUMP: That means we lose less money ... when you say it slowed down, that's a good thing, not a bad thing
There’s no hormone beef or chlorinated chicken . The beef that will be imported is non hormone .
Overall I think what’s been reported is okay .
The Americans clearly think they can push it further...
"This is going to exponentially increase our beef exports. And to be very clear, American beef is the safest, the best quality, and the crown jewel of American agriculture for the world," Rollins says. Looking ahead, Rollins says "all of the meats, all of the produce" are being considered for agricultural export.
That’s their spin . The UK will never accept chlorinated chicken or hormone beef as it would stop any deal EU deal .
There’s no hormone beef or chlorinated chicken . The beef that will be imported is non hormone .
Overall I think what’s been reported is okay .
The Americans clearly think they can push it further...
"This is going to exponentially increase our beef exports. And to be very clear, American beef is the safest, the best quality, and the crown jewel of American agriculture for the world," Rollins says. Looking ahead, Rollins says "all of the meats, all of the produce" are being considered for agricultural export.
That’s their spin . The UK will never accept chlorinated chicken or hormone beef as it would stop any deal EU deal .
The PM, Ambassador Mandleson and, by all accounts, Jonathan Reynolds should get credit to pushing this over the line. On top of a major trade deal with India only last week, they deserve credit imho.
I do wonder if these deals are a tactical victory for a Labour PM but a strategic defeat for those in the Labour Party who really seemed to think we would be pushing to re-join the EU sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, the facts of economic life are pulling us, post Bexit, further and further from the EU but I voted for it so would think that.
If I were someone like Roger I think I'd be seriously miffed and looking at Sir Ed to kick up merry hell about a deal which puts us at such variance with our EU 'friends'
The PM, Ambassador Mandleson and, by all accounts, Jonathan Reynolds should get credit to pushing this over the line. On top of a major trade deal with India only last week, they deserve credit imho.
I do wonder if these deals are a tactical victory for a Labour PM but a strategic defeat for those in the Labour Party who really seemed to think we would be pushing to re-join the EU sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, the facts of economic life are pulling us, post Bexit, further and further from the EU but I voted for it so would think that.
If I were someone like Roger I think I'd be seriously miffed and looking at Sir Ed to kick up merry hell about a deal which puts us at such variance with our EU 'friends'
So far no mention of DST. But I’d be surprised if it’s not in there.
Reuters now reporting the DST is untouched. That’ll surprise the tech companies.
So this looks like a very limited and provisional tariff relief agreement that leaves UK exporters and US consumers worse off than pre Trump but better off than they might theoretically have been.
The PM, Ambassador Mandleson and, by all accounts, Jonathan Reynolds should get credit to pushing this over the line. On top of a major trade deal with India only last week, they deserve credit imho.
I do wonder if these deals are a tactical victory for a Labour PM but a strategic defeat for those in the Labour Party who really seemed to think we would be pushing to re-join the EU sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, the facts of economic life are pulling us, post Bexit, further and further from the EU but I voted for it so would think that.
If I were someone like Roger I think I'd be seriously miffed and looking at Sir Ed to kick up merry hell about a deal which puts us at such variance with our EU 'friends'
This is all fairly minor tinkering. It won’t affect negotiations on closer integration with the EU. The DBT team very deliberately avoided anything that would create regulatory divergence in areas where UK-EU trade is material.
The only thing it would potentially affect would be the attractiveness of rejoining the customs union in future, but that’s before we see where the US and EU end up on tariffs.
So far no mention of DST. But I’d be surprised if it’s not in there.
Reuters now reporting the DST is untouched. That’ll surprise the tech companies.
So this looks like a very limited and provisional tariff relief agreement that leaves UK exporters and US consumers worse off than pre Trump but better off than they might theoretically have been.
Unless there is a lot more in there that isn't being announced it is basically the government have got a mates rates deal for JLR and Rolls Royce and that's it.
So far no mention of DST. But I’d be surprised if it’s not in there.
Reuters now reporting the DST is untouched. That’ll surprise the tech companies.
So this looks like a very limited and provisional tariff relief agreement that leaves UK exporters and US consumers worse off than pre Trump but better off than they might theoretically have been.
Unless there is a lot more in there that isn't being announced it is basically a deal for JLR.
JLR and a few Oklahoma beef farmers perhaps. I assume the Boeing order is just a typical reannouncement of something that was happening anyway.
The second tweet gives a good idea of the likely Runcorn results under an Alternative Vote/Optional Preferential Voting system.
Assuming that the percentage of Cons/LD/Green voters who are happy with a coalition between their own party & either of Lab or Reform would also allocate preferences in the same way, then we get:
Raw Vote
Labour Pref
Reform Pref
Final Vote
Reform UK
12,645
14,096
Labour
12,639
15,787
Conservative
2,341
20%
55%
Green
2,314
82%
3%
Liberal Democrats
942
83%
10%
A 6 vote Reform victory under FPTP is converted to a 1,690 vote Labour victory.
The second tweet gives a good idea of the likely Runcorn results under an Alternative Vote/Optional Preferential Voting system.
Assuming that the percentage of Cons/LD/Green voters who are happy with a coalition between their own party & either of Lab or Reform would also allocate preferences in the same way, then we get:
Raw Vote
Labour Pref
Reform Pref
Final Vote
Reform UK
12,645
14,096
Labour
12,639
15,787
Conservative
2,341
20%
55%
Green
2,314
82%
3%
Liberal Democrats
942
83%
10%
A 6 vote Reform victory under FPTP is converted to a 1,690 vote Labour victory.
The deal is: US trebles tariffs on the UK, and in return the UK cuts tariffs by two-thirds…
This from Lutnick’s chart in the White House…
To be fair, given the absolute ignorance that has lead to this, from "VAT is a tariff" to "trade deficits are tariffs", this could refer to absolutely anything.
It's meaningless. He also said this: US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is the next up to speak and begins by saying how "huge" the UK market is. He says the deal has opened up new market access including ethanol, beef and "virtually all products" from US farmers. "That will add $5bn of opportunity to American exporters," Lutnick says. "And we still have a 10% tariff on which will produce $6 billion of revenue for the United States."..
That's clearly nonsense as it implies 10% on all UK exports, which we know isn't the case, as some - steel and aero engines, for example - are tariff free.
I suspect it will be a while before any useful analysis is possible. And that we might well end up with the U.S. thinking they have a better deal than is the case.
Comments
The reduction will form part of a 12-month “temporary arrangement” ahead of striking what Britain and the US hopes will be a comprehensive trade deal in the coming months.
It is understood that British car makers will be given a quota of 100,000 that will be able to be sent to American shores at lower tariffs
(It'll probably be on the menu at Downing Street....)
The odds were high and a clear 2 horse race.
Plenty of Green voters preferring to vote Green and passed up the opportunity to 'keep Farrage out'.
The Tory vote appears, by and large, to have gone over to Reform.
It’s a sign of how crazy Washington is these days that this remarkable good news went almost unnoticed. Maybe that’s because the omnipresent news magnet, President Donald Trump, had little to do with it. Instead, it was crafted quietly by a diverse group that included a bipartisan team of senators, a Biden administration intelligence chief, a Qatari mediator and, finally, the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany."
source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/06/congo-rwanda-peace-trump-rubio/
(I say "potentially" because there are so many ways this could go wrong -- and powerful leaders with an incentive for sabotaging it. I don't think, for example, that "Emperor" Xi will be happy with the fact that the deal may give the West access to important minerals in the area.)
It will be interesting to see how many BLM supporters applaud this effort.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/pupils-in-poorest-uk-areas-being-locked-out-of-key-a-level-subjects-due-to-teach/
That's because all the physics teachers are on PB.
Now if only they used What Three Words..
The deal will involve billions of dollars of American exports including American beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, Trump says.
"Donald" ... "Donald" ... "Donald" ... "Donald" ...
The conservative and the right should welcome the deal and also maybe a lesson to Davey that sometimes crawling and pulling all the levers is the only way rather than antagonism
It's also possible that they are first in terms of national vote share, but end up with their opposition coalescing around a challenger, and get themselves squeezed. (See Scotland, and the way that first the Tories and then the SNP got "ganged up on".)
There are numerous other scenarios too...
Don't hold your breath.
The 38.7% Labour and Reform each received was above opinion polling, particularly for Labour and was above what you'd expect for each of them
from bare proportional swing.
Some of that dip in Tory and LD vote did serve to prop up Labour, but you're right, no support from the Green side, and not quite enough overall.
Personally, I think we should have told Trump where to go but on balance I suspect Starmer is playing a much shrewder game than Trump.
Not sure Airbus will be impressed
"And we still have a 10% tariff on which will produce $6 billion of revenue for the United States."
I expect this is very difficult for Davey and the Lib Dems
"Bargain Hunt expert charged with terror offences"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg4180np8do
This from Lutnick’s chart in the White House…
However... (a) it's a bit late, as China now has massive tariffs on US exports, and (b) the US has proven itself to be an unreliable partner, so why would you trust that such restrictions are lifted forever?
..While no timeline exists for the new rule, the spokeswoman indicated that officials are still debating the best approach to replace it...
We are focused on LEATHILITY, MERITOCRACY, ACCOUNTABILITY, STANDARDS and READINESS.
https://x.com/DODResponse/status/1919747877355590117
Overall I think what’s been reported is okay .
"This is going to exponentially increase our beef exports. And to be very clear, American beef is the safest, the best quality, and the crown jewel of American agriculture for the world," Rollins says. Looking ahead, Rollins says "all of the meats, all of the produce" are being considered for agricultural export.
@atrupar.com
REPORTER: But we're seeing as a result that ports here in the US, the traffic has really slowed and now thousands of dockworkers are truck drivers are worried about their jobs
TRUMP: That means we lose less money ... when you say it slowed down, that's a good thing, not a bad thing
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3looa7mqf5t2f
Tbh, that has a value to our economy as businesses can plan and predict.
@RochdalePioneers sorry to hear of your travails. I did wonder, reading your latest comments, if you were doing OK
Keep strong. The rain always passes
I do wonder if these deals are a tactical victory for a Labour PM but a strategic defeat for those in the Labour Party who really seemed to think we would be pushing to re-join the EU sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, the facts of economic life are pulling us, post Bexit, further and further from the EU but I voted for it so would think that.
If I were someone like Roger I think I'd be seriously miffed and looking at Sir Ed to kick up merry hell about a deal which puts us at such variance with our EU 'friends'
So this looks like a very limited and provisional tariff relief agreement that leaves UK exporters and US consumers worse off than pre Trump but better off than they might theoretically have been.
The only thing it would potentially affect would be the attractiveness of rejoining the customs union in future, but that’s before we see where the US and EU end up on tariffs.
Assuming that the percentage of Cons/LD/Green voters who are happy with a coalition between their own party & either of Lab or Reform would also allocate preferences in the same way, then we get:
https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lonplmcwvs2v
He also said this:
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is the next up to speak and begins by saying how "huge" the UK market is.
He says the deal has opened up new market access including ethanol, beef and "virtually all products" from US farmers.
"That will add $5bn of opportunity to American exporters," Lutnick says.
"And we still have a 10% tariff on which will produce $6 billion of revenue for the United States."..
That's clearly nonsense as it implies 10% on all UK exports, which we know isn't the case, as some - steel and aero engines, for example - are tariff free.
I suspect it will be a while before any useful analysis is possible.
And that we might well end up with the U.S. thinking they have a better deal than is the case.