By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. According to the latest ConservativeHome survey – 24% of believe that there will be a minority Conservative Government. 15% believe that there will be a Conservative majority. And 7% believe that there will be a second Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition. Add those figures up, and they suggest that Party members […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. John Redwood writes on this site today to advocate a mandate referendum on the EU in this Parliament – a move that would require an Act to make it happen. John Baron continues to lead the campaign for a separate Act in this Parliament, which would write the In/Out […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. The next general election will not be concentrated in the counties, but it will decide the government. For this reason, voters will return to the two major parties, the Conservatives and Labour, one of which must lead in forming an administration, if not win outright. Turnout will rise, UKIP's […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. I'm in a position to offer this morning to offer an insight into current thinking in Number 10. Tim Montgomerie touched on its current charm offensive yesterday, of which the Jo Johnson appointment was a part. I'm not going to comment on this thinking – though I will certainly […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. LibDem bloggers Stephen Tall and Mark Pack, and Mike Smithson of Political Betting, raised some solid objections to the Coalition breaking up some six months before the 2015 general election – which I recommended on this site earlier this week. (Mike suggested that I should see "This House", the […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. David Cameron gave Conservative MPs "a very strong indication" at the recent Parliamentary Party meeting that he wants to introduce legislation before 2015 for his planned EU referendum after the next election. Or so the Spectator's Isabel Hardman reported recently. But the Prime Minister knows as well as anyone […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter It's hard to find much welcome for the Chancellor's new £1,200 childcare giveaway in any of today's newspapers. Left-leaning pundits complain that the allowance that benefits families earning up to £299,999.99p is a poor use of limited funds when many low income families are struggling to make ends meet. […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Hats off to the Liberal Democrats. They are showing us the way. We have six times as many MPs as they do, experience of government that they don't, and poll ratings three times higher than theirs. But while David Cameron has moved from one message to another, and his […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter David Cameron could have ended his talks with Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband, and refused to put his proposals to a vote in the Commons at all. If he had done so, however, Labour and the Liberal Democrats would have moved amendments seeking statutory regulation of the press to […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter George Osborne is getting a very similar message from his Conservative and Liberal Democrat colleagues: Lift the ringfences. Liberal Democrats are telling the Chancellor that they won't accept further cuts to welfare if he isn't willing to cut richer pensioners' benefits and, potentially, also "gently trim" the budgets for […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter "From April this year, no one will have to sell their home to fund care. Those unable to afford fees will get the right to defer paying." That's the Coalition's big promise to the elderly as made in today's Sun and across the Sunday newspapers. Proving that the Coalition […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Following on from yesterday's speculation that Tory MPs would gun for George Osborne if (i) next month's Budget underwhelms or (ii) the economy suffers a triple dip recession, Patrick O'Flynn begins his Saturday Express column by quoting what he calls an "experienced and very sensible" Conservative MP: “We can’t […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter © i-Images A promise to introduce a tax allowance for married couples was one of the first commitments that David Cameron made when he stood for Tory leader in 2005*. When he told the Tory Conference in 2006 that marriage should be between a man and a man and […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Pete – while hopeful of change – has already noted the clouds hovering over the Coalition this morning. On days like this you realise the high price that the country is paying for David Cameron's decision to form a Coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. Allister Heath has written […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. There is a rush of interest in the boundary review. The Mail on Sunday reported yesterday that David Cameron is gearing up for another push. The Times reports today behind its paywall that William Macrea, the DUP MP, won't vote for it. The party may disagree with my view […]