When the Tory Party starts obsessing about the European Union, it is the political equivalent of putting an unlimited supply of laxatives into the monkey house. Excrement starts getting flung in all directions, we saw it this week with Iain Duncan Smith calling David Cameron’s EU dossier, a dodgy dossier.
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Self-preservation trumps all. Even UKIP only gained two MPs, and retained one who've they've fallen out with.
Osborne is Jeb.
He's not had a good few months in that area.
Still if the Conservative party want to have their equivalent of Gordon Brown as leader ...
I would say much the same of George Osborne - So with those two out of the way, there should be some money to be made by backing, stjohn-wise, a selection of other promising candidates.
PS I don't give Mrs May any real chance either.
I'm stuck as to Who Next
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/eureferendum/12184958/EU-referendum-Boris-Johnson-outlines-case-for-Brexit-on-Andrew-Marr-Show-live-updates.html
Soubry is excellent but a strong EUphile - can't see that winning her enough friends.
After yesterday's primaries, Rubio's odds against becoming GOP nominee have lengthened out to around 17/1 with Betfair, slightly longer in fact than those of John Kasich.
Trump is around 3/5 favourite with Cruz on 4/1.
Hence Boris's hesitant position on the EU referendum is seen as being positioning for the leadership, and Osborne's budget changes likewise. This exposure is rarely of benefit to them. See Heseltine and Portillo for other examples.
In this manner, Gove stating he does not want the job might actually be sensible if he really wanted it: it removes some of (although not all of) the heat.
For these reasons, I'd look to real outsiders. I'd be intrigued to see how Rory Stewart might do the job, although his experience of managing Iraqi provinces might not have prepared him for the infighting within the Tory party ...
It's a "something for nothing" metaphor - with a competent opposition anyone proposing it would be blown out of the water.
" If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. "
I saw the Davidson interview and despite getting a lobbed a series of softballs from the totally and shamelessly biased Gordon Brewer she was hopeless - getting confused on tax policy and giggling her way through explaining why with a NEGATIVE popularity rating her name should be on the ballot paper.
She is vastly hyped up and heading for a fall in third place.
The clip they plaiying on radio 5 of the Boris interview ,he comes out of it really well,he got his points across for the headline news every hour.
Don't write off Mrs May quite yet. She could still make the ballot of members. If Remain wins by 10% or more, Boris will be doing well to become PUSS at Climate Change.
Philip Hammond ............ 40 (Betfair)
Michael Gove ................. 15 (Various)
Michael Fallon ............... 50 (Ladbrokes)
Jeremy Hunt .................. 46 (Betfair)
Nicky Morgan ................ 66 (Skybet)
Sajid Javid ..................... 17 (Bet365)
From the above sextet, I reckon the best value for money, not to win, but as trading opportunities are Jeremy Hunt, Nicky Morgan and Sajid Javid.
IMHO, it's difficult to think of any other Cabinet Ministers having more than a 1% - 2% chance at best of becoming Tory Leader, thereby warranting odds of at least 50/1 - 100/1.
DYOR
It is a very odd prison, if that's what it is, in which the prisoners all have a say in the rules.
And is this a new development ?
While it wouldn't be the metaphor I'd use, I don't think it correct, I'm sure somewhere out there is a prison which allows prisoners a say in the rules, it's a strange world after all.
Rubio is almost as right wing as Cruz !
Christopher Hope
Boris Johnson was interrupted 57 times on the Andrew Marr Show today; PM was only intrerrupted 23 times two weeks ago. #marr
NEW -- Twice as many Tory local chairmen back Brexit than staying in EU, BBC survey reveals.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/eureferendum/12185065/Twice-as-many-Tory-local-chairmen-back-Brexit-than-staying-in-EU-survey-reveals.html
No way was the night a 2/10 for him. At least a 4, probably a 5 given he won Kentucky.
Its an absurd analogy. But then someone let the lunatics out of the asylum...
"Entirely fair we talk about £350m that we're having to send every week to Brussels" @DouglasCarswell tells @afneil https://t.co/h49sWqzzPe
Video
I should be sitting with Trump +4 rather than +2 if I hadn't had an attack of the vapours.
Come on, it's Boris Johnson.
Fake balance for fruitcakes is the LEAVE cry now
In the EU prison we act like Godber whilst France and Germany act like Harry Grout.
He's a political midget who's home state scandals would basically give Hilary a free pass on integrity.
And people backed him @ 4.6 - Lol.
Big improvements on their S10 and S6 incarnations. Just rewatched iZombie S1 - it's even better than I remember. S2 Agent Carter is pretty good.
Andrew Neil
Europol says people-smuggling now fastest growing criminal activity in Europe.
PS I've not seen the Boris clips today, but it doesn't sound great from him.