A year of campaigns and statistics – How 2010 shaped up for us
Anyone remember Rod Liddle? Just over a year ago, during the Christmas holidays, I was out in the sticks and saw on my twitter that Rod Liddle was in the running to be editor of the Independent.
And so started our first campaign of 2010 – one that was ultimately successful in no small part with help from Facebook, from fellow bloggers and from email-campaign gurus 38 Degrees.
Rod Liddle even threatened legal action, but like most of his work – it came to nothing. Ah well.
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Why I’m comfortable with the Tea Party movement
contribution by Tim Fenton
I have a confession to make: unlike some observers of politics Stateside, I’m comfortable with the Tea Party movement. That’s because it demonstrates – unlike the assertions of some of its supporters – that fundamental freedoms still underpin the USA: if you want to start, support or work for a political movement, then you are free to do so.
Moreover, citizens of the Republic are also free to voice whatever opinions they hold, protected by the First Amendment.
So anyone who believes ACORN stole the 2008 Presidential Election, that Barack Obama is not a natural born US citizen (and/or a practising Christian), or that any factual analysis ever comes out of Fox News Channel (fair and balanced my arse) is entitled to their view.
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Poll: UK bankers happy to stay despite taxes
The majority of people working in Britain’s financial services industry are happy to stay in the UK, said a survey by the eFinancialCareers.com website, despite fears a clampdown on pay may force top performers overseas.
The online poll of 415 workers in London’s City finance district said only 14 percent were actively seeking a job overseas, with the rest happy to remain in the UK.
Public anger over financiers’ large salaries has not waned. Many still blame the industry for the credit crisis, which resulted in several banks being rescued with taxpayers’ money.
This month, Britain fell in line with the rest of the European Union in introducing the world’s toughest bank bonus curbs, and the UK’s politicians have kept up pressure to restrain excessive pay deals in the industry.
via @MissEllieMae
We must fight politicians to tell stories of cuts
I’m on a three-month trip around the UK talking to people affected by public sector cuts. This is a post about the efforts two Northwest Tory councils have made to stop me reporting on spending and cuts:
My visit to the soon-to-be-closed Grange daycentre in Shropshire hit the skids before it started.
The Grange daycentre is an adapted community facility used by people with severe physical disabilities. Their conditions include multiple sclerosis, severe epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Many have had debilitating strokes.
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What really worries me in the ongoing war against WikiLeaks
It is somewhat staggering that enough isn’t said about the implications of this ongoing war against WikiLeaks. There is something seriously wrong going on here.
I generally try and avoid conspiracy theories. I broadly believe in the importance of rule of law. I believe in open societies where there is a healthy degree of competition for private goods. I believe governments should also abide by the law and enforce it.
But the system really is conspiring against WikiLeaks.
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‘Labour Yes’ slam No2AV Labour on u-turn
The Labour Yes campaign have tonight sent out a press release critical of the list of Labour MPs hoping to stop electoral reform in the May referendum.
A spokesperson for the Labour Yes Campaign said:
It is a shame that some Labour MPs who so recently stood on a manifesto supporting a referendum on the Alternative Vote have chosen short term tactical gain above the long term interests of the voters and the Labour Party.
A large number of Labour MPs recently announced their support for a Yes vote in next year’s Referendum when the Labour Yes campaign launched in early December.
Supporters of Labour Yes include party leader Ed Miliband and 8 Shadow Cabinet Ministers including Alan Johnson, Sadiq Khan, Douglas Alexander, John Denham, Peter Hain, Tessa Jowell, Hilary Benn and Liam Byrne.
Other notable figures supporting a Yes vote from the Labour Party include Peter Mandelson, Tony Benn, Chris Mullin, Baroness Oona King, Ken Livingstone and Neil and Glenys Kinnock.
Full list here
The Labour Yes Campaign recently launched a report by referendums expert Dr Matt Qvortrup which argues:
· In every election since 1997 the Labour Party would have gained more seats under the Alternative Vote (AV) than under the current First Past The Post voting system.
· By opposing AV, the Labour Party is likely to deprive itself of a chance to gain seats, and even of unseating the Tory-led Government at the next election.
· The Supplementary vote (a variant of the Alternative Vote) has – contrary to many myths – benefited the Labour Party in the London Mayoral Election. Had Ken Livingstone won second preferences from 0.04% of voters he would have beaten Boris Johnson.
· The Tories fear that the introduction of AV would strengthen Labour which is why they are campaigning against it.
The full report can be viewed here
Recent polling figures from ICM show the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign leading over No2AV by a significant margin.
Three new year’s resolutions for Labour
The Labour Party is in a remarkably positive mood as we enter 2011 despite having lost a General Election in May. Polling data, fickle though it can be, indicates that the Coalition are performing poorly enough for Labour to have captured a hefty chunk of voter intention. Enough to, theoretically, win an election held right now against our struggling opponents.
But that will change. The Liberal Democrats are at such a nadir in public opinion that anything short of surreptitious photographs of an illegal dogfighting ring in Cowley Street will be seen as positive as the media tries to find a narrative for the next year.
So it’s time for Labour to consider its 2011. What do we need from Ed and the Party?
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George Galloway, Tommy Sheridan: don’t fancy yours much
George Galloway may be the most famous politician in a party called Respect. But ironically, this is not a commodity much on offer to sexually liberated women who sleep with his mates.
Thus the former MP is 100% certain that the former MSP could not have visited a swingers’ club in Manchester in the company of hackette Anvar Khan. The reason? Well, she seemingly does not meet the prerequisite standard of babeliciousness necessary before a gal can even dream of such glamorous assignations.
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The year of the Liberal Moment: what could have been
As an extraordinary political year draws to a close, one thing is beyond dispute. 2010 has been the year of the Liberal Democrats. It is easy to forget, however, how differently things might have turned out.
With hindsight, Chris Huhne’s decision to reject a formal coalition with either the Conservatives or Labour looks obvious. But there were those in his party at the time who urged a “Rainbow Coalition”, and even a few who argued for a formal Coalition agreement with the Conservatives.
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Poll: public opposed to Murdoch/BSkyB deal
Overwhelming support for a full and independent investigation, into News Corporation’s bid to buy the remaining 61% of BSkyB that it does not already own, is revealed in an ICM poll of 2,006 people published yesterday.
The survey – commissioned by BT, Guardian Media Group, Associated Newspapers Limited, Trinity Mirror Plc, Northcliffe Media and Telegraph Media Group – discloses the depth of public concern over the proposed takeover, which was cleared on competition grounds last week by the European Commission:
· 63% said there should be an independent investigation before deciding whether to allow the deal to proceed
· 84% said that a single organisation should not be allowed to control too much of the news media
· 75% said it was important to have competing independent sources of news in the UK
· 44% oppose the deal with a mere 5% being in favour; opposition among Conservative voters was nearly as strong, with 43% opposed and just 5% in favour
· 53% of those who currently identify themselves as Lib Dem oppose the deal with just 4% being in favour.
A spokesman for the alliance of media groups said:
This deal marks a significant change of control and the public is clearly concerned. If anything, popular awareness of the issues at stake will now be substantially higher.
A clear majority of the public wants a full and independent investigation into News Corporation’s bid to take over BSkyB. The Competition Commission provides that mechanism. The public’s concern that no one organisation should control too much of the news – as News Corporation would under the planned deal – is also very striking.
Of those who expressed a view, nine times as many people oppose the deal as support it. With 44% opposing and 5% in favour, that is a significant level of concern. Opposition is stacked against the deal among Conservative voters too.
Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Jeremy Hunt will receive an initial report from Ofcom on the implications of the planned deal by 31 December.
He then has until 15 January to decide whether or not to refer it to the Competition Commission for a full-blown review. Mr Hunt can task the Commission to examine whether the merger would reduce the plurality of the UK media and should therefore be blocked.
From a press release
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