Speaking on the BBC World Service (audio clip here), Frank Field MP (Lab, Birkenhead) said:
With this budget coming up […] if we don’t get a satisfactory deal I think there’s enough members on the Labour back benches who will, with others, block the budget and that will make his position intolerable at that stage.
If the […]

Mayor Johnson
The headline news is, of course, the victory of Boris Johnson. It is no secret (at least if you’ve been reading this blog!) that I was and remain a strong supporter of Ken Livingstone and that I have very grave doubts about the Johnson mayoralty. I have tried to draw a comparison between […]

I’m sure I’m not the only one who winced when they saw a mention of Charles Clarke on Iain Dale’s Diary, and not just because of the post’s title (Charles Clarke launches grenade at Balls). Mr Clarke is a serial troublemaker who seems determined to cause as many problems as possible shortly before an election. […]

Number One - be divisive and pursue old vendettas.
There cannot be many things within the Labour party that would unite Luke Akehurst and Peter Kenyon. Charles Clarke has managed to find one. Strangely enough, ordinary Labour party members don’t think that now is the opportune moment, shortly before local and London elections, to start talking […]

Yes, says Michael White.
Yes, says Iain Dale.
Yes, says James Macintyre
Yes, says Steve Richards
Yes, says Andrew Grice
Yes, says Sam Coates
Yes, says Andrew Gimson
To be honest, I think Andrew Gimson had it about right when he said “Harriet Harman did much better than expected when she stood in for Gordon Brown at Prime Minister’s questions. This is […]

Section 42 (4) (b) (ii) of the Counter-Terrorism Bill, as it seeks to extend detention without charge to forty-two days, has attracted some considerable criticism. Unfortunately, it is not the only part of the bill that is, at best, distinctly ill-considered and with considerable scope for abuse. Serious consideration must also be given to clauses […]

I was able to interview Ken Livingstone this morning following the launch of his transport manifesto. Unfortunately, announcements kept coming over the tannoy, hence the odd cutting and jumping.Dave Hill also spoke with Ken, and his interview is available here along with thoughts on the Mayor’s transport manifesto here. There is more on […]

Had I been voting in the recent Lib Dem leadership contest, I would have voted for Chris Huhne as the candidate most identifiably different from Gordon Brown and David Cameron. In voting for Mr Clegg, they have chosen someone who looks and sounds like Mr Cameron and, I feel, impacts in a similar manner. Mr […]

The video of last night’s mayoral debate between Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick is available here at ITVlocal.com.
xD.

My friend Luke Pollard has been selected as Labour’s prospective Parliamentary candidate for South West Devon, standing against the Tory Gary Streeter. I’m delighted that Luke is standing in the county from where he hails. He’s a hard-working candidate with the experience, both professional and campaigning, to make a real difference to the area. His […]