Bit like the way YouGov somehow still had the SSP registering 3-4% years after their implosion?

Well I guess they lasted longer than The Independent Group/Change UK/whatever they ended up calling themselves

This sort of stuff from the fash is the other reason I find American discourse about British food and appropriation tiresome.

Yes, I know we’re not good at Mexican food and any Mexicans who want to mock certain U.K. chains are obviously entitled to, but let’s maybe not endorse fascist narratives?

One of the many issues with FPTP is that the "major" parties just aren't used to competition (in seats the Lib Dems don't have a local base to challenge from).

French Alps 2030: Next Winter Olympics will hold speed skating in Italy or Netherlands The speed skating events at the 2030 Winter Olympics will take place outside host nation France, it has been confirmed.

Raises the question whether Edinburgh/Glasgow could bid for the Winter Olympics and have the snow events in say Norway?

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articl...

Having a by-election (or indeed any election) boil down to what is the correct tactical vote against a particular party — especially when that choice is unclear — is not good for voters and it's not good for democracy.

It moves the conversation away from being about substance.

Doesn't look like "hundreds" to me either, though pretty sure bussing in activists from other counties is perfectly normal for a by-election.

It’s either a Python or Douglas Adams bit about how the English take something American and copy it, keeping everything naff but leaving out the crucial thing that makes it work/charming/whatever.

Liz Truss is that but with right wing grifting. Someone cluelessly going through the motions.

The intense ambition of Cabinet Minister Josh Simons has come up against the rather tricky problem of smearing journalists to MI5 [this is from
Rivkah Brown's 2024 profile)

He looks nearly as surprised as his (alleged) victims must have.

The two worst PMs of all time. Neither should ever be allowed to hold public office again.

Good start, but would be even better to have an elected head of state.

Beware of Polls and Forecasting for Gorton & Denton Full Fact reported last week that"an advert shared by the Labour Party features energy secretary Ed Miliband claiming that the...

And it seems even they concede that

pollingreport.uk/articles/gor...

Isn't UK Polling Report little more than uniform national swing applied to individual constituencies?

By-elections are different beasts entirely.

"Naked attempt to save his own career" would surely also apply to Richard Holden's 2024 chicken run?

Something that's not gone unnoticed...

That said "see the whole picture" when the poll has Greens ahead overall is about as honest as those dodgy Green bar charts.

Two other dynamics of interest from the poll:

1. A third of voters are undecided, and it looks like they tend to lean towards the Greens.
2. While the Greens have a 2pt lead among all voters, Reform has a 3pt lead among "very likely" voters.

The stronger of these forces could decide the result.

The one from Omnisis this afternoon?

Sad nobody said they were voting for Sir Oink-a-Lot

Sad to see that latest polling for Gorton and Denton has 'Sir Oink a Lot' of the MRLP at 0 votes.

The usual health warning applies to this poll. But it does appear to confirm that Gorton and Denton is a three-horse race between Labour, Reform and the Greens.

Based on this poll, if I was a progressive tactical voter living in Gorton and Denton, I’d be inclined to vote for the Green Party. 🗳️💚

I really hope Hannah Spencer wins in Gorton & Denton, but also the extent to which this whole thing is being decided by arguments around tactical voting is exhausting and we need to scrap FPTP yesterday

Boris Johnson lobbied Donald Trump to block UK’s Chagos Islands deals The former British prime minister raised concerns with the president in the lead up to Trump’s renewed attacks on the deal.

Bloody hell

www.politico.eu/article/bori...

This is heading for that 31-30-28 nightmare, isn't it?

Still no recommendation for Gorton & Denton on there...

2024 general election results for the Makerfield constituency: Labour 45.2%, Reform 31.8%, Conservative 10.9%, Liberal Democrat 6.8%, Green 4.4%, English Democrats 0.9%

Never mind his ministerial career, feels like there should be a by-election soon in Makerfield...

Just a shame constituency polling has such an awful track record. A pollster who could work out how to do it would get a huge boost surely?

Except MRPs don't work for by-elections.
I agree independent polling is needed, but not of just 143 people...

State House votes to rename Florida airport to Donald J. Trump international The Republican-controlled Florida House voted 81-30 in support of the name change to President Donald J. Trump International Airport

Last week Donald Trump registered the trademark "Donald J. Trump International Airport." This week Florida Republicans voted to rename Palm Beach International Airport Donald J. Trump International Airport," putting taxpayers on the hook for licensing fees that go straight to him