Also, from anecdotal fieldwork, you might need to let a few people know that Labour's the challenger these days - a fair few still think Labour don't stand a chance in Hallam because of historical trends.

We've been ramping that up in recent months, but we haven't had the budget to blitz the entire constituency with leaflets since the latest polls came out.

 

I think he may just scrape in too, though it may be moot he'll resign before long anyway as leader as he's not an asset to the party's long-term chances, unless he gets invited into government again.

 

There's been murmurings that the new system of registering to vote has disadvantaged a proportion of lethargic students who haven't bothered registering now mummy and daddy don't do it on their behalf. Not sure how true that is, but bound to be some....

It's more that university halls of residence are no longer able to automatically register everyone living there but forgot to tell anyone. After all. students can be registered in two places.

It's not even so much 'can't be bothered' - aside from most not even realising they aren't registered, like a lot of things that are rarely urgent there and then a lot of people hear they aren't registered, resolve to, and then forget.

It's not even so much 'can't be bothered' - aside from most not even realising they aren't registered, like a lot of things that are rarely urgent there and then a lot of people hear they aren't registered, resolve to, and then forget.

And the government are spending their advertising budget targeting potential Tory voters (pensioner bonds, "pension freedom" etc.), rather than alerting potential opponents to the fact that they might not be registered.

CARROUSEL NOW

I think that is highly unlikely. It has already been announced that the Queen will be in Windsor Castle at the time. They have assumed that nobody will be anticipating a visit to Buck House on the Friday.

 

 

That's odd as I once read, years ago, that they try to ensure she's in the country AND in Buckingham Palace the day after an election, in case an outgoing and incoming PM need to visit. That's much easier now we have set 5 year terms so the date's known months and years in advance. Suppose she would drive from Windsor if, as seems unlikely as you say, she is needed.

Edited March 13, 201510 yr by Common Sense

That's odd as I once read, years ago, that they try to ensure she's in the country AND in Buckingham Palace the day after an election, in case an outgoing and incoming PM need to visit. That's much easier now we have set 5 year terms so the date's known months and years in advance. Suppose she would drive from Windsor if, as seems unlikely as you say, she is needed.

She was at Windsor immediately after the 2010 election as well. The reasoning is that it keeps her away from London while still being able to reach Buck House fairly quickly. She is also, apparently, not attending the VE Day commemoration to avoid the risk of appearing to favour one prospective PM over another.

She was at Windsor immediately after the 2010 election as well. The reasoning is that it keeps her away from London while still being able to reach Buck House fairly quickly. She is also, apparently, not attending the VE Day commemoration to avoid the risk of appearing to favour one prospective PM over another.

 

I daresay she would find it as hard to favour one as the rest of the country - if the polls are right.

 

Actually, not true, wouldn't she get caught by the Mansion Tax.... :P

Labour back ahead in two polls and level in another, but I'm sure these are completely anomalous.

It's all sample variation. For all intents and purposes it's a tie, and the only 'events' I can see changing anything are the Budget this week and the debates.

Yes, the budget, look forward to it. Lib Dem policies tax adjustments and 2p off pints for the alcoholics to get excited, get drunk and accidentally vote Tory.

 

Cynical? Moi? :lol:

It's all sample variation. For all intents and purposes it's a tie, and the only 'events' I can see changing anything are the Budget this week and the debates.

And Ed Balls Day.

And Ed Balls Day.

I really hope there's been a slight poll bump after every Ed Balls Day so far just so I can write that Buzzfeed article.

UKIP are aiming for North East seats at the moment :lol:

They might get Great Grimsby. They're mainly positioning for strong second place finishes to build on for 2020 really.

It's a good long-term strategy for them. The North of England is in severe danger of becoming the "new Scotland" for Labour if they don't get their act together.

The main issue is just how many of the MPs and councillors just haven't done the work for years. It's kind of understandable to a degree - motivation to spend your Sunday afternoons going door to door when people just hide behind the curtains for the most part must be pretty low if it feels like you're going to win whatever happens, but when you've got a lot of councillors that just don't do anything other than go to council meetings to pick up their allowances then it's pretty disgraceful and ripe for a takeover the second another viable party come along.

There needs to be a big upheaval of councillors. Obviously because of the size of the electorate there's a lot more who are utterly complacent than there are MPs, and a good councillor can do wonders.

There needs to be a big upheaval of councillors. Obviously because of the size of the electorate there's a lot more who are utterly complacent than there are MPs, and a good councillor can do wonders.

 

speaking for my working area, there needs to be election carnage, but it won't happen cos they could put a skunk with 3 legs on the ballot and it would win as long as it was blue....

There needs to be a big upheaval of councillors. Obviously because of the size of the electorate there's a lot more who are utterly complacent than there are MPs, and a good councillor can do wonders.

As with parliamentary elections, we need a change in the electoral system. When I was a councillor, I saw good councillors of all three parties lose their seats simply because the tide turned against their party.

 

We also need a substantial devolution of powers to local councils. At the moment, people can use the local elections to vote against the governing party(ies), safe in the knowledge that it will make very little difference to the way their council operates. The UK has a more centralised system than any other European democracy.

Nicola Sturgeon saying on Newsnight now that the SNP would not vote for any minority Labour government budget that proposed more cuts.