Labour opens big lead in polls
Recent opinion polls have seen Labour take a big lead over the Tories, and narrowly overtake the combined Coalition support. Today’s YouGov poll puts Labour on 45%, ahead of the Tories on 35% and Lib Dems on 9%.
Further evidence that discontent with the government can be found across the political spectrum can be seen by the fact that UKIP has been recording some of its highest levels of support since the European elections, up to 7% in some recent polls. If UKIP continues to grow in support, it has a realistic chance of overtaking the Lib Dems as Britain’s third largest national party.
In Wales, Labour is likely to regain an overall majority. The most recent poll saw Labour on 45-48%, Tories and Plaid Cymru on 18-20%, and the Lib Dems, UKIP and Greens all battling to finish fourth on 4-6%.
In Scotland, Labour has led in all but one recent poll, but seems certain to fall short of gaining an overall majority. The SNP will be hoping to overtake Labour and stay in government, while the Tories and Lib Dems are battling to finish third, and the Greens are hoping for a breakthrough. This raises the intriguing prospect of a Labour/Green or Labour/Lib Dem coalition in Scotland after the elections in May.
On voting reform, different polls show Yes or No ahead, but with large number of undecided voters.
For latest information about polls, visit our friends at the excellent UK Polling Report website.
Tory claims on pension and benefits spending don’t add up
Earlier this week Tory HQ, under the direction of George Osborne, put together a briefing about “Ballsonomics”, which claimed to set out £12 billion of unfunded spending pledges which Labour had made.
I had a quick look, and the first, and largest, claim was that Labour were planning to spend an extra £5.8 billion on pensions and benefits in 2014/15.
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LC editor runs away… for a week
Hello readers,
Just a quick note to say that I’m going on holiday for a week from tomorrow (Wednesday) and will have no access to email or the web while away. I need a break!
Deputy editor Don Paskini is in charge while I’m away and if you want to pitch articles, please email donpaskini@liberalconspiracy.org.
I’m also pleased that two LC contributors: Jennifer O’Mahony and Ellie Cumbo, have also agreed to be associate editors and will commission / write articles for the site daily while I’m away.
So you may notice a change in the tone of articles at LC.
I’ll be back Thursday next week. I will not be replying to any emails before that, sorry.
Unrest in the Middle East and our double-standards in intervention
contribution by David Malone
Events in Bahrain are getting less notice than they deserve. Bahrain is like Saudi, it far larger neighbour an absolute monarchy and one divided from many of its people not only by accumulated wealth and jealously hoarded power, but by religious conviction.
Like Saudi Bahrain has a deep Sunni/Shiite divide. For the last few weeks there have been pro-democracy protests in Bahrain. As there have been on and off for the last thirty years or more.
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Imaan: Gay Pride event organised by EDL
The Muslim LGBTQI group Imaan today criticised the East End Gay Pride event, saying its organisers had close links to the English Defence League.
The event was organised for 2nd April, supposedly in retaliation to homophobic stickers being placed around East London declaring it was a ‘gay free zone’.
Imaan today issued a statement saying:
Imaan understands better than most, the problems of homophobia within Muslim communities and has been working inside our communities since 1998 to address homophobia and its causes. We condemn unreservedly any and all acts of homophobia committed by Muslims or by any other sector of our society.
We join the call for a fully inclusive and community-led demonstration of unity in the face of these homophobic crimes. An event along the lines of a fully community-inclusive local Gay Pride event would be one such welcome response.
They say they had acquired evidence that Raymond Berry, the principal organiser of the event, faced a call for disciplinary measures by officials of the RMT Union because he was a public and vocal, leading member of the English Defence League.
In light of all the evidence of Mr. Berry’s political involvements, the apparent associations of some of the other organisers and their collective contempt for our communities we can do nothing but conclude that their calling for “East End Gay Pride” is motivated primarily by their political desires to build groups and alliances founded on their anti-Muslim and anti-Islam bigotry and that East End Gay Pride is – in his terms – just a furtherance of Mr. Berry’s stated aims to create anti-Muslim political movements.
Berry has allegedly been involved in another hard-right racist group called Stop Islamisation of Europe.
They called on the board of Pride London to take over the organisation of East End Gay Pride and organise an event that instead believed in “community cohesion and celebration of our diversity”.
Pink News reports that Berry has now resigned, while others have called for the event to be cancelled.
Could the BMA seriously disrupt Lansley’s plans for the NHS?
This morning the FT reports that Andrew Lansley has opened the door to further concessions on the NHS bill, as Libdem members “rejected his sweeping reform plans”.
Already a bad day for the UK health minister. Then at around 11.45am, 15 March, the British Medical Association (BMA) “voted to call upon Andrew Lansley to withdraw the bill” adding that “any willing provider will hurt the provision of healthcare in the NHS in favour of private industry“.
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Protest planned against W’minster homeless ban
On Sunday 20th March, hundreds of protesters will show their opposition to Westminster Council’s proposed byelaw that will make rough sleeping and charities feeding and supporting the homeless illegal in central London.
The protest will be a vibrant, community event that celebrates the positive contribution the charities make in supporting and caring for some of the most vulnerable in central London, showing the wide spread opposition to this inhumane ban.
Commenting on the campaign Alastair Murray from Housing Justice said
This proposed byelaw threatens to marginalise and stigmatise homeless and needy people even further. It will effectively criminalize compassion, making it illegal for volunteers and charities to distribute free food and offer advice to the homeless. This offends against common decency and common sense.
Christoph Warrack Chair of Westminster Churches Together said:
Does Westminster Council have the right to outlaw lying down? Or one person giving a sandwich to another? Has it presented evidence that giving food keeps people on the street? That those without the homes, jobs and families enjoyed by councillors would be able to find food elsewhere? That it is handouts which make it “possible” to be on the street and not human failures which have forced those affected to reach this last resort? The Council must not add to these failures with its own.
Where?
Westminster Cathedral Piazza, Victoria Street, London SW1
When?
Sunday 20th March, 2 – 4pm
Who?
Hundreds of people have already signed up to attend, and will be welcomed by Housing Justice, The Simon Community, Coombe Trust, Street Souls, The Pavement, Open Cinema, Apricots and More, Streetlytes, The Sock Mob, and many more grassroots groups working for and with the homeless.
From a press release
Nick Clegg admits cuts were a political choice
A little noted, but I think important, Nick Clegg u-turn in his speech to Lib Dem Spring Conference.
Speaking about the Government’s actions to close the deficit he said:
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IPCC looking into police brutality at demo
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the circumstances in which a man suffered a facial injury and was arrested during last year’s student demonstrations.
The 20 year-old attended the demonstrations in Parliament Square on Thursday 9 December 2010, during which he breached the police cordon. He was chased and caught by an officer and his tooth was chipped during his detention.
The police officer was wearing sound recording equipment, which recorded the chase and detention as well as a subsequent conversation between the officer and a number of colleagues.
The investigation will look at an allegation that the officers conspired to falsely arrest the 20 year-old, as well as how he sustained the damage to his tooth and three officers have been served with notices advising them they are being investigated for alleged criminal and gross misconduct matters.
IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne, said:
“We are investigating a serious allegation that an officer colluded with colleagues to abuse his position by arresting a young man on false grounds. We will also be looking at the circumstances of how the man suffered a broken tooth during his detention.”
From a press release
Why time-limiting disability benefits will hurt working families like mine
Today, I’m launching my new campaign.
During the CSR, George Osborne announced that he would be time-limiting ESA (Employment Support Allowance, previously Incapacity Benefit) to one year. This means, that anyone with a working partner found capable of doing any kind of work at all will only receive state support for one year.
Once that year is up they will receive no help at all, a loss of £4661. This is three times as much as higher rate taxpayers will lose in child benefit.
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» The real agenda behind Telegraph’s abortion investigation
» How Scotland Yard monitors prying bloggers and journalists
» When disabled people want to work – employers can hold the back
» Revealed: the reality behind Workfare and why it doesn’t work
» Job snob? No, I’ve got the T-shirt
» Why country-by-country reporting matters to our wellbeing
» If Unions want to become stronger, they need to modernise
» Why work “reforms” in Spain are a warning for workers across Europe
» Five things you need to know about the NHS bill
» Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier. More Racist.
» Laziness levels in Britain getting lazier, wails government
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