A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.
ComRes:
posted by Luke Akehurst at 11:20 am
Labour MP for North Durham since 2024. Labour Party activist since 1988 - firmly on the moderate wing of the party. Member of Labour’s NEC 2010-2012 and since 2020. National Secretary of Labour Students 1995-6. Parliamentary candidate for Aldershot (2001) and Castle Point (2005). Hackney Councillor (Chatham Ward) 2002-2014, Labour Group Chief Whip 2002-09, Chair of Health Scrutiny 2010-2014. Dad. Unite and GMB union member. All views expressed in a personal capacity. The rest will become evident from reading the blog.
27 Comments:
And that cunning stunt agrees to go head to head on TV.
He's a replicant who'll never pass as human.
Enjoy
12:55 pm, December 22, 2009
Poor Cameron. So near and yet so far. Must be awful to look like the first Tory Prime Minister in thirteen years and then find that you've blown it.
1:07 pm, December 22, 2009
Why have you ignored the weekend poll that that the Tories 17% ahead and another one with a 12% lead?
2:42 pm, December 22, 2009
Because I was waiting for a better one!
If you want to know about every single poll then look at politicalbetting.com or ukpollingreport.
I tend to report the ones that Labour supporters will be pleased by.
3:18 pm, December 22, 2009
Still expect a hung parliament with Conservatives as the largest party.
7:08 pm, December 22, 2009
Alexander
The Tories arent consistently getting that result in the polls any more.That is the point.
Of course luke is going to promote Labour resurgent poll results!!
6:01 am, December 23, 2009
Resurgent - ha ha. Too much mulled wine methinks. Can't wait for Brown on the TV debates. Brilliant
11:56 am, December 23, 2009
Gerald - I know it's Christmas but you've drank too much mulled wine already. Pace yourself man.
As soon as the TV debates start, Gordon Brown - that unelected dithering lying bully of a buffoon will be eaten alive.
Even Clegg will eat him for breakfast - Brown is useless, always was.
Labour should have stuck with Blair and the full third term - we deserve what we have coming to us... serves us right.
11:47 am, December 24, 2009
I think I agree, it looks like they have turned off a lot of voters by the big talk on cuts.
However, this is a massive warning to Labour as well. Labour are hiding plans to cut billions from the public purse which is going to prove very unpopular. A good example is Mandy cutting 50 million from university budgets.
People don't want cuts in service especially if it is not returned in tax cuts. Any government planning on punishing the British tax payer for the mistakes of banks and government is in for a nasty shock.
Masses of activisits are in the process of mounting a huge assualt on this government or any future government that is planning on cutting back on public services. If you want mass strikes and civil unrest then carry on on regardless. Believe me we are literally two months away from a general strike.
11:25 pm, December 25, 2009
Two points:
--Take Scotland out (very few marginal seats there) and then add 3% to the Tory lead.
--Remember Mike Smithson's golden roll,the least favourable poll for Labour is the most accurate, as has been shown over the past 10 years.
Angry voter
11:35 pm, December 25, 2009
In Gerrards cross and Hadley Wood, the houses seem unaffected by the recession they continue to have 3 brand new shining motors in the driveway and burn their lights on inside and outside for 24 hours a day, because to them electricity is affordable,and they are getting millions in bonuses back, why don't the government get revenue from these objectionable nasty people by taxing them at the rate of 99%?
1:43 pm, December 26, 2009
Mark,that's because they would just leave the country and there would be even less tax to pay out to scroungers.
You obviously have forgotten about the Callaghan / Healey mess in the 70's when they did that,people with money,education & ambition just left the country.
12:04 am, December 27, 2009
No one is saying we should hammer the rich....just the bankers. Why is it ok to pay a £20 million bonus for an individual who works for an organisation that has literally wrecked this country and received over a trillion in tax payers money.
If these people don't want to stay in the UK then leave...I'm really not botherd. On the way out we'll strip them of all their wealth and ship them to a country were people can't afford clean water.
This country is now completely screwed thanks to poor government and greedy financiers. Everyone is simply intrigued to see how Brown is going to get us out of this one.
11:17 am, December 27, 2009
oh dear
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/david-cameron/6890179/David-Cameron-meets-NHS-privatisation-campaigners.html
11:29 am, December 27, 2009
Rich
I wonder how many back handers from the insurance companies these health care pressure groups will be getting?
It seems if the Tories get in it will be the end of the NHS and if Labour win they will bring in more lousy PFI schemes only paving the way for full privatisation. Many back bench Labour MP's will fight against privatisation of the NHS, but the Tories will vote with the New Labour cabinet and right wingers to bring it in!
The New Labour clones are traitors and should be eradicated!
10:15 pm, December 27, 2009
'No one is saying we should hammer the rich....just the bankers.'
Rich,
You can define it more tightly than that....'just hammer the Scottish bankers and Scottish politicians' they alone account for around 95% of the mess.
angry voter
12:05 am, December 28, 2009
As an average punter, my concern about the Tories is I'm still not sure about what they stand for? When you're aiming to knock out incumbents surely you have to project an exciting new direction, not just say that you're less cr*p than the current govt?
Heath wanted a managerial revolution and to curb union power in 1970; Wilson then offered a settlement with the unions, socialism and rent control; Thatcher she said she wanted Britain to lead the 3rd industrial revolution and to liberate council tenants; and Blair didn't just argue Major's govt was cr*p, he set out huge constitutional reforms.
But I don't understand Cameron's policies nor his vision for the country; I'm sure I've missed it so far but the only things I know about the Tories are that they want to bring back fox-hunting and then hold an emergency budget to sack half the country. Oh yes, I've also heard their housing policy will allow small villages in Bucks to build a new alms-cottage or village hall and housing associations will be regulated by councils. Oh and they'll abolish the FSA.
That's it I'm afraid, I just haven't heard a 'big picture' from them yet, or even what else they want to do?
If Cameron said he wants to pull the UK out of the EU then that would undeniably be a policy ... but he seems to have given up on that idea.
11:04 am, December 28, 2009
Cameron is full of Sh*t, he has basically tricked is into thinking he's a nice tory who likes the NHS. But the reality is he wants to privatise it.
There are lots of greedy private companies who would just love to get their hands on the NHS. They have been trying for years slowly but surely getting their own way through PFI etc. Cameron so obviously wants to extend this even more.
British people need to stand up and force this government and the next to deliver what we are asking for. At the moment there isn't an electable party that is willing to deliver what we actually want. How can this be a demoracy when we have three parties forcing policies down our necks that we don't want. I'm sorry but it will have to get violent before any of you politicians will start to listen.
Tax those that caused this mess and deliver better services and not service cuts. THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT....THEY WANT VALUE FROM THEIR TAXES.
1:28 pm, December 28, 2009
let them go bunch of parasitic losers
6:39 pm, December 28, 2009
It would appwar that the Tories have already agreed to destroy the BBC ae the behest of Murdoch !
Vote Labour or "Dr Who" gets it !
GW
7:02 pm, December 28, 2009
I've heard that about Murdoch as well. I don't know whats happened to the new softer conservative image but they appear to be more right wing than the late Mrs Thatcher.
Like many good things in the UK the BBC is at real risk of becoming extinct. for under £140.00a year we get a lot from the BBC....its radio alone is worth the annual subscription. Murdoch is crapping his pants because all is advertising revenue is disapearing as a result of the internet...so his plans to strike a blow on the BBC doesn't shock me at all.
Luke you really do have to make sure we have a Labour party worth voting for in the Spring other millions like myself won't be voting at all.
7:12 pm, December 28, 2009
'It would appwar that the Tories have already agreed to destroy the BBC ae the behest of Murdoch !'
Excellent news if its true,sick of being forced to pay for this leftie bilge.
Make it a subscription channel ,if its that popular,loads of people will want to subscribe or maybe without the forced funding it would just die a death.
angry voter
8:06 pm, December 28, 2009
Rich - People like you worry normal voters in this country.
I don't care what's on it but are you saying it is fair to tax people (after the VAT on the initial purchase) every year for the privilege of owning a TV set even if they don't watch the BBC?
It's no wonder Labour is going to get trounced next year. I thought Cameron would drift into power but now I believe he's going to storm in and it serves us right.
The sooner Labour supporters actually start seeing what we have done to people in this country with ruining employment and jobs, the sooner we can rebuild and start again.
If the answer is Gordon Brown you're asking the wrong question...
10:42 am, December 29, 2009
So you would prefer to spend £70.00a month for sky which offers a lot less. Think about what the BBC actually does?
1. Internet (Easily the best media website out there)
2. Radio (No other commercial radio stations comes close)
4. Television (makes some of the best programmes in the world)
5. Music (Supports huge amounts of festivals)
The BBC is a great British icon and to lose it would be very sad. Politics shouldn't even come into it.
12:58 pm, December 29, 2009
My mate has sky-he flicks through 700 crappy channels and always ends up watching the BBC, so what's the point of spending all that money on crap when he could just spend £140.00 on a licence fee?
12:30 am, December 30, 2009
Sky runs an appalling internet service most routers fail to stream data and when people call they always blame it on internal computer problems, sky internet should be abolished!
12:33 am, December 30, 2009
Rich / Mark Still News - You guys scare the s**t out of normal people with those control freak views.
Let me try again.
Sky / Virgin / NTL / Whatever are companies that I can choose to use or not use - that's freedom for the consumer.
BBC - I have no choice of paying, even if I choose NOT to use them - just to watch a DVD or play a video game on a TV means I pay the BBC even if it's not tuned in.
And if I choose not to pay I can be sent to prison.
And you think that's fair?
The BBC should be put on a card (that makes sure everyone who watches pays for it) and if it's programmes are good people will pay for them (I would for radio - the TV is crap from the beeb) and if not they will not.
That way we may be able to stop that drivel called "The Now Show" being commissioned. It isn't funny.
To actually hear someone actually saying it's fair to tax a TV set even if it's not used is so New Labour it hurts....
12:39 pm, December 31, 2009
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