If local authorities really thought there was backing for Council Tax increases, they wouldn’t dodge holding referendums.
Pessimism is one of unionism’s most debilitating vices; the case for the United Kingdom is stronger than some choose to remember.
The latest wave of an in-depth tracker project shows that a long-term softening of public attitudes has continued during the pandemic.
Falling behind Labour will do nothing for the Tory mood, but there are a huge number of possible explanations for a narrowing in the polls.
Most of the media coverage has been on the survey’s woke and anti-woke findings, but there was another important discovery.
That Switzerland and New Zealand each have their own arrangements suggests that a bespoke arrangement ought to be possible.
The Conservatives should think about the implications of what would happen if Labour got serious on this issue.
Despite the recent bad press, the overall numbers suggest the institution is probably here to stay.
It is not is a clear-cut issue, and those that claim it is are doing our public discourse a disservice.
Plus: The Government will soon have to set out the tough decisions on public spending to constituents.
Polls very strongly suggest the public are much more irritated with the police not enforcing basic rules with greater severity.
The only institutions I can think of that retain the term ‘British’ are the BBC and the British Army – and, in Scotland, its Twitter handle is @ArmyScotland.
This is a good moment for targeted, well-justified interventions, but creating lots of new losers through sweeping hikes would be insane.
They feel that the Government has underperformed, is unprepared for what is to come, and has not delivered.