StephenTall.org

Tory leader David Cameron has been forced to abandon plans to make all members of his shadow cabinet drop their lucrative outside retainers after three of his team vowed to quit if he did so. The FT broke the story this morning, noting: Conservative strategists remain concerned about the potential political damage the “part-time” nature of the shadow cabinet could  [ Read More ]

As disclosed by Sir Peter Viggers MP (Con., Gosport), who represents the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission: The Electoral Commission informs me that following the recent conclusion of criminal proceedings against Mr. Michael Brown, it has now resumed its investigation into the permissibility of donations made to the Liberal Democrat Party by Mr. Brown in 2005. The Commission further  [ Read More ]

According to the widely-leaked reports of the Chancellor Alastair Darling’s pre-budget reports, we can expect the following measures: VAT: Temporary 2.5% cut Income tax: 5p increase for top earners after next election Vehicle excise duty: Postpone planned increase 10p tax rebate: Extend for another year Corporation tax: Next rise postponed The Lib Dems’ Vince Cable is sceptical of the impact  [ Read More ]

There’s been a fair amount of publicity today generated by ConservativeHome’s ‘scoop’, a briefing they’ve been fed received on the party’s analysis of the political impact of the current economic crisis, and in particular: Team Cameron readily concede that Brown has enjoyed a good few days. They expect the Conservatives’ poll lead to drop into single figures in the next  [ Read More ]

We tend not to be too poll-obsessed here at LDV – of course we look at them, as do all other politico-geeks, but viewed in isolation no one poll will tell you very much beyond what you want to read into it. Looked at over a reasonable time-span and, if there are enough polls, you can see some trends. Here,  [ Read More ]

I have a confession to make, dear reader. There’s an email I’ve been, erm, sitting on while I try to work out what to do with it. And it’s from Iain Dale. If you read his blog (what do I mean ‘if’, of course we all do) then you’ll already know what it’s about. If not here’s the copy ‘n’  [ Read More ]

The close-of-poll predictions last night proved to be pretty accurate: David Davis easily won in yesterday’s Haltemprice and Howden by-election, with a solid 72% of the vote. The turnout was 34%, and the Greens pipped the English Democrats to second place by 44 votes, both polling 7%. No other candidates retained their deposits. • David Michael Davis – Conservative Party  [ Read More ]

That’s the wholly unsurprising news from The Daily Telegraph based on a ConservativeHome.com survey of 120 Tory Parliamentary candidates: The majority of new Conservative candidates selected to fight the next election are unabashed supporters of Margaret Thatcher’s ideals, a new survey has disclosed. They advocate lower taxes and are more concerned about terrorism than global warming. There is also still  [ Read More ]

As I write, I haven’t yet seen the Commons roll-call of votes to find out how many (or indeed if any) Tory MPs joined Ann Widdecombe in voting with Labour on 42 days detention without charge. We do know, though, that the proposal enjoys the support of ConservativeHome.com, the provisional wing of the authentic Tory party: Today’s terrorists attack without  [ Read More ]

That’s the vital question zinging across the political blogosphere today, following the shocking revelation by Tory MP Greg Hands on ConservativeHome this morning that the Lib Dem leader may have been a member of the Cambridge University Conservative Association in his first year at Robinson College, 1986-87. Nick’s spokesman has categorically denied it: “Nick is one hundred per cent adamant  [ Read More ]