tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36515698212343285942024-08-30T11:49:42.571+01:00Looking at the Tactical World of British PoliticsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-81551690321939985622013-03-12T19:24:00.000+00:002013-03-12T19:57:19.494+00:00

To anyone who happens to come across the site when stumbling the wilderness of the Internet, I've Moved :D New tactical political analysis over at http://premiershippolitics.blogspot.co.uk/ :D

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-57386403318903493282011-09-18T12:55:00.003+01:002011-09-18T12:55:46.916+01:00

Hey all, thanks for checking out my blog and reading my posts, but I've started writing for another site now http://www.politicalguerrilla.co.uk/ So if ya fancy hope on over and see all our lovely articles :D

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-55379860992484244942011-06-09T00:27:00.000+01:002011-06-09T00:27:48.482+01:00

Over the recent months there have been many changes and shifts that have altered the landscape of the political battleground, because of these it could be possible that Northern Ireland could see a Sinn Fein/DUP coalition Government. As mentioned in the previous post on this blog, The DUP and Sinn Fein appear to have figured out a way of peaceful co-operation, which has been allowed to emerge

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-85526643008273254202011-06-09T00:12:00.000+01:002011-06-09T00:12:57.565+01:00

In an earlier post on this blog I discussed how the SNP may have to face down the Unionist Power-house that is the DUP, and lo and behold following the tri-lateral meeting between the Devolved First Ministers Peter Robinson launches torpedo assault on Alex Salmond's plans to get Corporate tax Powers Devolved. This opening barrage from the DUP head is not only significant in the coming issues

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-7752565267054262732011-05-08T01:32:00.000+01:002011-05-08T01:32:30.420+01:00

Vote 2011 has left us with a new Champion of Nationalism in the form of Alex Salmond backed by a SNP majority in the Scottish Parliament but Unionism not to be out-done has brought Peter Robinson to the front of a DUP charge in Northern Ireland. With the SNP success in Scotland many pundits have been talking about what this means for the UK and how David Cameron will now have

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-32710613964932193472011-05-07T23:23:00.000+01:002011-05-07T23:23:26.252+01:00

The Election across the UK have now finished, AV has been beaten into the ground, Scotland has it's first majority Government and one party faced what could only be described as all-out destruction.. so now that the dust is settling how did all the multitude of parties do and what of their Leaders? Conservatives The Senior Partner of the ConDem Coalition had a somewhat unusual electoral period.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-51307705196580197122011-03-08T23:49:00.000+00:002011-03-08T23:49:09.186+00:00

Recently at the UKIP Conference, newly re-elected leader Nigel Farage stated that after coming second in the Barnsley Central By-election, that UKIP's goal was to claim third place from the Liberal Democrats. While the goal is ambitious I fear it may be over-reaching for UKIP for a number of reasons; 1) While UKIP achieved fourth in number of votes cast at the 2010 General Election, they trail

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-22162405559904919612011-03-03T13:21:00.000+00:002011-03-03T13:21:14.698+00:00

The General Election in the Republic of Ireland has been hailed as historic and a Political Massacre, as Fine Gael top the Poll to become the largest Party in the Dail while Fianna Fail are not only consigned to wander the political Wilderness but sent out bloodied and beaten. So what now for the parties of the republic of Ireland Fine Gael - 76 Seats The New Big Dog of the Irish Yard. Fine

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-62088945067774234742011-02-16T15:43:00.000+00:002011-02-16T15:43:39.163+00:00

With the Current overhaul of the Irish political landscape which may see Fine Gael form a Single Party Government for the first time and the Celtic Fringe Devolved Elections tkaing place in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Could the next Stormont Assembly be one of Voluntary Coalition? This Question has cropped up for numerous reasons, The Tories want to see normalisations of Coalition

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-82025962638316660362011-02-10T14:42:00.001+00:002011-02-10T14:46:12.676+00:00

A day after I post about the possibility about a ConDem Coalition in Scotland the One Wales Government suffered a mini-implosion. The Clash between Labour and the Plaid Cymru Leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, has thrown some added dimensions to the upcoming Welsh Assembly Elections. Labour has said that a One Wales Government, Mark 2 isn't the only option after the election. Evidence of why Labour seem

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-60562485006779350332011-02-09T23:44:00.000+00:002011-02-09T23:44:21.643+00:00

Today (9/2/11) the SNP minority administration passed the last budget before the Scottish parliamentary elections on May 5th. ConDems Support Nationalists? With every passing year of SNP the Scottish budget has been subjected to the same political horse-trading. This budget however is special, other than being potentially the SNP's last Budget for a while should they lose the election but also

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-83391670444138821492011-02-09T13:50:00.000+00:002011-02-09T13:50:18.952+00:00

Eric Illsley has resigned his seat two days before he is due to be sentenced, so let's bring on By-Election Number 2. Like the Old and Sad by-election Barnsley Central is a Labour seat and with a majority of over 11000 it is unlikely that Labour will lose this one either. Instead this by-election will probably be focused on two other aspects. Conservative vs Liberal Democrats The first will be

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-69297131073508484112011-02-06T20:47:00.000+00:002011-02-06T20:47:45.970+00:00

With the Irish General election confirmed for the end of February and the Celtic Elections set for May 5th, an old force hopes to make a comeback. United Left Alliance and Sinn Fein In Ireland Fianna Fail looks guaranteed to haemorrhage seats in the Dail, while this spells good news for the Labour Party and Fine Gael it is the parties of the Hard-Left that look set to make gains. Sinn Fein

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-19683594651388805692011-01-06T18:58:00.000+00:002011-01-06T18:58:50.127+00:00

Back in July I posted about how Sinn Fein Executive ministers Caitríona Ruane and Michelle Gildernew may be the weak link on the Executive. Now Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy MP, is under pressure over what is being described as the 'shambolic' response to the Northern Ireland Water (NIW) crisis that struck homes during the Christmas period. Sinn Fein has no far rejected calls

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-91274966659655090112011-01-05T23:19:00.000+00:002011-01-05T23:19:28.072+00:00

In the mind of a politician there is one fact that is always present, the next election date may be your expiration date, The Leader of the Opposition is however the exception to the rule. Although Ed Miliband knows, that come May 6th 2015 if he hasn't pushed Labour back into first place after the votes have been counted, he will most likely not continue as Leader, he also faces problems which

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-30926990262717347782011-01-04T15:11:00.002+00:002011-01-04T15:33:28.483+00:00

In May of this year, a large chunk of the local English councils, 36 Metropolitan boroughs, 194 Second-tier district authorities, 45 unitary authorities and various mayoral posts, will all be up for grabs. As it stands at the moment, the Conservative Party controls about 46% of council seats in the UK with Labour on 21% and the Liberal Democrats on 19%. But since England lacks a devolved

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-90911812038311636102011-01-03T19:31:00.001+00:002011-01-04T12:55:00.156+00:00

On The 13th of January the first By-election since the Coalition Government was formed will take place. 10 Candidates have entered the fray and despite the usual media blackout on any party that isn't the big three, this is a by far a for gone conclusion. Articles in the Guardian already claim that all three big parties could be in for a slap from the electorate. But what would a win by any of

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-48081321631689981962010-12-23T14:02:00.004+00:002010-12-23T19:19:56.372+00:00

With the vote in the commons and hopefully (for the Lib Dems) referendum on switching to the AV system for elections some are calling that it does not go far enough. But as question that is the title of this post asks... what if PR had been used in 2010? Well as PR is based on percentage of the vote won I'd best give the result for those who would qualify assuming that 1% was required to win

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-60573384407993847382010-12-22T15:31:00.003+00:002010-12-22T15:52:08.016+00:00

This Business Secretary Vince Cable was recorded by undercover journalists from the Telegraph claiming that he had declared War on the NewsCorp Empire and that if he felt the coalition was moving to far away from his beliefs would use his 'Nuclear Option' and resign from Government and bring the coalition down around him.By declaring unilateral war on Rupert Murdoch and (kinda)publicly revealing

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-34595636248884602432010-12-12T00:54:00.004+00:002010-12-12T13:39:24.693+00:00

As the run up to the Irish General election expected somewhere in February or March begins, we have had two stories develop before Christmas. First the formation of the United Left Alliance, a grouping of a few of the smaller parties of the Left from the Republic and the news that Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Fein, will be running for the Dail.This sudden departure from the Politics of Northern

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-60477120244183236622010-12-11T20:35:00.005+00:002010-12-11T21:14:52.844+00:00

With the Conservative/Liberal Democrat surviving a rebellion by either side it is safe to assume that until 2015 the Westminster Coalition will survive, the question is, could the ConDem's take the Westminster show on the road to Cardiff and Edinburgh?The answer... kinda?In Scotland a party needs 65 seats for a majority and in Wales 30 seats is needed for control. At the moment neither has a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-6387175017142431652010-12-09T19:34:00.005+00:002010-12-09T20:10:44.225+00:00

Today (9/12/10) saw the vote in the House of Commons on the controversial Tuition fees rise for Universities in England and the day almost half the Liberal Democrats rebelled...In the end 28 Lib Dem MPs voted for, 21 voted against, 6 abstained and 2 were at the climate summit in Mexico... On paper the result is simple 28 Lib Dems backed the Coalition, 27 went against it (albeit in different ways)

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-37055433212965170432010-11-14T21:16:00.004+00:002010-11-14T21:31:58.131+00:00

As the start of the Election Cycle for the Assembly Governments approach, what role could the TUV play in the next Stormont Assembly?Within the Power-Sharing Coalition system of the Northern Irish Assembly there is no Official Opposition but next year it could just get one in the form of the TUV. As the five largest parties are almost guaranteed at least one seat thanks to the d'hondt with the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-53246872242171347472010-09-10T19:42:00.004+01:002010-09-10T23:51:29.456+01:00

Reported today by the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11255788) the Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas MP, is making overtures to rebels within the Liberal Democrats. The Greens, who polled half the the votes the BNP got and only a quarter of that scored by UKIP, are in an interesting position when it comes to poaching possible defectors thanks to their single seat within the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651569821234328594.post-49933006532398168662010-09-09T12:32:00.007+01:002010-09-09T13:08:50.249+01:00

With the Labour Conference drawing nearer, Labour will soon have it's new leader but also the Parliamentary Labour Party will choose which MPs the New Leader will get to form their Shadow Cabinet.Obviously with a Leadership contest on, this could mean that whoever wins will have to form a Cabinet including all 4 of their defeated Rivals. But would these Leadership contenders be an asset or a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0