Saturday 28 April 2012

Rights and wrongs..

We've seen the argument before: because Cameron was not right wing enough, he failed to achieve a majority in 2010. Patrick O'Flynn repeats it in today's Express. What they don't tell you is that he achieved the largest swing to the Conservatives since 1931.

Indeed if more right-wing measures were needed to improve the party's polling position, why is it that a reduction in the top rate of tax for all those suffering on over £150,000 per year has resulted in the first real drop in support for the Conservatives since they took over in 2010?

Friday 27 April 2012

Murdoch is deceiving Leveson..

Rupert Murdoch's contribution to both the British press and, through Sky, the wider broadcasting media has been incalculable.

Indeed the UK enjoys one of the most independent and yet vociferous media in the world, substantially as a result of Murdoch's work.

But it is inconceivable that a man, so deeply involved in the production of stories over the last five decades did not know how such stories were being generated.

On the stand at Leveson this week Rupert Murdoch has not been telling the whole truth.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

PMQ's is pure theatre..

Iain Martin berates Cameron for a feisty performance at PMQ's telling him to calm down - he could not be more wrong. This is the greatest piece of political theatre in the world - although I'm told the Australian version is even more gauche.

Knowing that Ed Miliband had several open goals with which to score today, Cameron was at his most combative. And what a sight to behold - pithy, succinct and devastating. Miliband never had a chance, resorting as ever to the whiny 'I'm suppose to ask the questions' routine which sounded truly pathetic.

Miliband should learn; this is what real Prime Ministers are made of.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Hypothecating charity..

Such a good blog from Dan Hodges on the capping of charitable donations that can be off-set against tax by higher rate taxpayers, which follows on from Polly Toynbee's piece in this mornings Guardian. And just how many times have you heard me say I agree with Polly? the truth is, I can't remember the last time. Still, however misguided these two commentators are politically, they are dead right on this one. Everyone should pay their full due in taxes. Charitable donations come after tax, not before..

Thursday 12 April 2012

Hodges on Livingston..

Dan Hodges, a Labour supporter, blogging about Ken Livingston: Maybe I am being indulgent. Perhaps we all are, those of us who are finally turning round and saying “sorry Ken, enough is enough.”

But on balance I don’t think so. I think the truly indulgent people are those who cry at their own campaign videos. Who take to the streets against Labour candidates when it suits them, and then demand loyalty from others when it doesn’t. Who use a political party as a vehicle for their own political ambitions, then abandon it when they realise it isn’t going to get them where they want to go.

Ken Livingstone has been indulged and indulged and indulged. Next month the indulgence will finally stop. The voters of London will see to that.
Ouch.

Monday 9 April 2012

#election92

Spent most of the morning between Twitter and the BBC Parliament channel re-living the 1992 General election in a twelve-hour, twenty-year anniversary special broadcast of John Major's famous victory.

Besides the strange haircuts and ridiculously over-sized glasses which made '92 one of the worst years for opticians, it was how wrong the left-dominated media were in their disasterous predictions which resonated the loudest. Little change at the BBC and the now CEO of YouGov, Peter Kelner, looking close to tears as political reality became clear with a fourth successive defeat of his beloved Labour party.

I remember the events on that night vividly and have never trusted his predictions - nor those of his polling organisation - since.