In 2010 Cameron gained 96 seats for the Tories on 10.7 million votes. In 2017 May lost 13 seats and her majority on 13.6 million votes In 2015 Milliband lost almost every seat in Scotland with a net loss of 26 seats overall on 9.6 million votes In 2017 Corbyn gained 30 seats for Labour […]
In normal elections there is a general feel at the start which way they are likely to go. This time no commentator would dare to predict the outcome. But as a starter post of what are likely to be many, let me leave you with some themes. In England and Wales, if the election is […]
Boris wants an election, but does not have the votes. Even some Tories are scared. Labour as usual says Yes but No. Yes it wants an election but not till no deal is ‘off the table’. It will wait to see what the EU decides about an extension. The EU says Yes to an extension […]
The Constitution A gobsmacked world looks on in dismay as the UK slowly throttles itself in a tangle of argument, prejudice, constitutional failure and muddled thinking. So the first reforms are to the constitution. We must repeal the Five Year Parliament Act, restore the royal prerogative of the prime minister to ask for a dissolution […]
Once again parliament has shown it cannot govern. Agreeing Boris’s Brexit deal is pointless if there is no agreement on how to put it into law. The normal structure of government and opposition has to fall away to be replaced by consensus. Getting the Withdrawal Agreement through all stages in two days is not reasonable, […]
Once again the position of this Blog is simple. Recall Article 50 and scrap the whole thing. Brexit is a mess. Nobody can agree what it means, nobody can agree what they want, nobody knows how it will work, nobody knows whether there will be benefit or cost. Moreover everybody sees it as an end […]
First let me re-state the position of this Blog. I am a Remainer and the only satisfactory outcome for me is the recall of Article 50 and the closing down of this whole Brexit adventure. I said at the beginning that Brexit may turn out to be an undeliverable concept. By the end of tomorrow […]
So far yes, but in a situation as fluid as the current fiasco, anything may happen. But the DUP must tread with very great care. They are a Leave party in a Remain country or province. Unionists no longer have a majority in the Assembly, which is why they are making so many difficulties about […]
By a normal measure very bad. But for Trump not so bad. It is the very nature of his presidency that the electoral college votes of almost all heartland America went to Trump. They did not vote for an honourable and righteous man but for the very antithesis. They backed Trump, not because he was […]
It can come as no surprise to anyone that the Boris plan is hitting the EU buffers, because it offends against all the principles that underpin the EU as a political as well as trading union. It offends against the good Friday Agreement because an all Ireland economy and social order, now enjoyed, will be […]