Mark Pack

Ofcom rejects SNP/Plaid objection to TV debate

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 7:20 pm

A message from Ofcom brought this news today:

Ofcom today announced it has not upheld complaints received from the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru about The First Election Debate broadcast on ITV1 at 8.30pm on Thursday 15 April 2010.  The political parties complained that the programme was not impartial and was also misleading.

The complaints were adjudicated by the Ofcom Election Committee which may consider complaints during an election period where it is considered that a substantive issue is raised and where the complaint, if upheld, might require redress before polling day.

The Committee considered all the submissions and evidence before it, in …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 6 Comments
Advert
Mark Pack

Vince Cable’s speech to the Institute of Directors

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 6:25 pm

This is what Vince said earlier today:

This building commemorates Britain at the peak of its economic power and glory. We are still an important country with much to be proud of. But that power and the glory have faded. And we are currently in a serious economic mess.

The current economic model is broken. It relied on consumer spending, financed by heavy borrowing and low savings; investment in property rather than production; rapidly expanding public spending based on temporary windfalls from oil, then financial speculation; and growth over-dependent on the fickle fortunes of the banking industry. Any party which does not …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged | 5 Comments
Mark Pack

“Labour is shunning gay Iraqis, asylum seekers”

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 2:20 pm

That’s the headline on a comment piece run by Pink News:

As he launched Labour’s international LGBT manifesto last Wednesday, foreign secretary David Miliband made one howler, echoed by another in the manifesto’s text.

He said: “Under Labour the UK will continue to be a beacon of hope for LGBT people.”

This delusion sounded a lot like Home Office minister Phil Woolas’ article last year, when he wrote that he was proud of the attendees of the London Pride march who’d found sanctuary in the UK – never mind that his office would have refused them and fought tooth-and-nail to remove them.

The pair

…

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 6 Comments
Stephen Tall

Peter Tatchell: Greens should vote Lib Dem to unseat Labour and Tories

By Stephen Tall | Wed 28th April 2010 - 1:20 pm

Pink News reports that LDV’s Liberal Voice of the Year Peter Tatchell has urged Green supporters to vote tactically for the Lib Dems where Nick Clegg’s party is best placed to unseat Labour or Tories:

Former Green Party candidate and gay rights activist Peter Tatchell has called for Green supporters to vote for the Liberal Democrats in certain seats. … He told PinkNews.co.uk today that he was not a Lib Dem supporter but the party promises to change the “corrupt” voting system.

Mr Tatchell, who emphasised he was speaking in a personal capacity, said: “On May 6th, Labour could come

…

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election | Tagged , , and | 17 Comments
Mark Pack

How the reach of party campaigning is measuring up

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 12:20 pm

A YouGov poll earlier this week asked people which, if any, of the parties had contacted them in the previous week (numbers in brackets from similar survey in mid-April):

Conservatives: 39% (31%)
Labour: 34% (25%)
Lib Dem: 29% (19%)

(Overall contact rates are also up on February, though the Brunel survey then wasn’t conducted in quite the same way.)

Amongst those contacted by each party, leafleting dominates with email is ahead of the phone:

Conservatives: 93% leafleted, 13% door stepped, 10% emailed, 3% phoned
Labour: 94% leafleted, 12% door stepped, 5% emailed, 5% phoned
Lib Dem: 94% leafleted, 13% door stepped, 8% emailed, 3% phoned

Posted in General Election and Online politics | 5 Comments
Advert
Mark Pack

Exclusive poll: newspaper hostility makes voters more likely to back Lib Dems

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 11:24 am

A poll carried out exclusively for Lib Dem Voice shows that opposition from the Daily Mail, The Sun and Daily Telegraph to the Liberal Democrats actually makes people more likely to vote for the party.

Asked the impact on their voting intention of those papers opposing Nick Clegg becoming Prime Minister, 15% said it made them more likely to vote Liberal Democrat and only 4% said it made them less likely, making for a net +11% saying they are more likely to vote Liberal Democrat.

Of the rest, 19% would vote Liberal Democrat regardless, 35% would not vote Liberal Democrat anyway and …

Continue reading »
Posted in Polls | Tagged , , , , , and | 15 Comments
Sara Bedford

Will the Tories do a deal with the nationalists to freeze the Lib Dems out?

By Sara Bedford | Wed 28th April 2010 - 10:40 am

According to this morning’s FT, the Conservatives are so anxious not to have to work with the Liberal Democrats that they are eying a post-election deal with the SNP, Plaid Cymru and even the DUP. Worried that Cameron will fail to gain an overall majority, Tory strategists are drawing up contingency plans with almost anything on offer to avoid having to face up to electoral reform.

Both the Scottish and Welsh Nationalists have made it clear that their price for working with any of the three main parties at Westminster would be a relative increase in the funding allocated to Scotland and Wales. The DUP are likewise going to seek more money for the Northern Ireland Assembly. This will not be easy for a government attempting to reduce the country’s huge deficit, whilst attemping not to upset its shire heartlands.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 15 Comments
Mark Pack

Getting people out to vote – with a little technological assistance

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 10:20 am

I wrote the following piece for the May edition of Total Politics:

The efforts made by Returning Officers and local council to encourage people to vote in the weeks running up to polling day are remarkably crude when viewed from a marketing or political campaigning point of view.

Send one, usually A5 sized black and white, text-heavy leaflet to everyone a few weeks before polling day, stick a few posters up in libraries and that is pretty much it.

There are some good reasons for this. Shortage of funds in one. Another is that raising turnout is rarely a politically neutral act …

Continue reading »
Posted in Online politics | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

Philip Lardner suspended by the Conservatives (again)

By Mark Pack | Wed 28th April 2010 - 8:50 am

In 2008 the Conservative Party suspended one of their candidates, Philip Lardner for praising Rhodesian leader Ian Smith.

Now he’s been suspended by the Conservatives again, this time for homophobic comments, although given where we are in the electoral timetable his name will remain on the ballot in North Ayrshire and Arran and there will be no alternative Conservative candidate put up.

To be suspended once might be a misfortune…

Posted in News | Tagged , and | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

LDVideo: Paxman and Boulton slug it out

By Stephen Tall | Wed 28th April 2010 - 7:45 am

Here’s two rather different perspectives of our esteemed Fourth Estate in action. One shows a journalist who’s done his homework, and gets increasingly fed up with the refusal of a politician to deal in honest facts. The other shows a journalist who’s failed to do his homework, and gets increasingly frustrated with the persistence of a politician in exposing his laziness. See if you can work out which is which …

Adam Boulton takes on Lord Mandelson on spending cuts


(Also available on YouTube here).

Jeremy Paxman nailed by Plaid Cymru economist

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election and YouTube | Tagged and | 5 Comments
Stephen Tall

Pollwatch Day 22 #GE2010 – Lib Dems at 28-29% in today’s polls

By Stephen Tall | Tue 27th April 2010 - 11:30 pm

Three polls published tonight:

    Populus in The Times … CON 36%(+4), LAB 27%(-1), LIB DEM 28%(-3)
    YouGov in The Sun … CON 33%(nc), LAB 29%(+1), LIB DEM 28%(-1)
    ComRes for ITV/The Independent … CON 33%(+1), LAB 29%(+1), LDEM 29%(-2)

The big shift is in the Populus survey – however, the last time they polled was at the peak of the Lib Dems’ post-debate surge, so the result is pretty much in line with other polls showing the Lib Dems hovering around the 30% mark – albeit the Tories are at their highest point since before Nick Clegg’s rise to fame.

I suggested in

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election and Polls | 10 Comments
Stephen Tall

Yet another reason why gay voters are deserting the Tories for the Lib Dems

By Stephen Tall | Tue 27th April 2010 - 9:30 pm

The Tories seem to be doing their best to lose the vote of gay people. Last month it was shadow Tory home secretary Chris Grayling who landed himself and his party in trouble by defending the rights of bed-and-breakfast owners to discriminate against gay couples. Then the party’s shadow defence minister Julian Lewis alleged that equalising the age of consent had increased the risk of HIV infection.

And now the Tories have had to suspend one of their would-be MPs for describing gay people as “not normal”. The BBC reports:

Tory election candidate Philip Lardner has been suspended for describing gay people on his website as “not normal”, the party has confirmed. … The primary school teacher’s name will remain on ballot papers because it is too late to remove his nomination. He will still be listed as a Conservative candidate, although a party spokeswoman said they had made clear they no longer supported him. Mr Lardner had been reinstated to the party in 2008 after a previous suspension over claims he made racist comments by portraying former leader of white-rule Rhodesia, Ian Smith, as a hero. On that occasion, Mr Lardner did not deny making the comments but suggested they had been taken out of context.

His latest suspension was provoked by comments in the “What I believe in” section of his website, under the sub-heading: “Homosexuality is not ‘normal behaviour’.” The former Territorial Army soldier wrote of his support for the controversial “clause 28”, which was introduced by the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher and banned public bodies from promoting homosexuality.

This latest example of backwards Tory thinking perhaps helps explain the collapse in the party’s support among gay voters, with the Lib Dems the overwhelming choice of 58%. Pink News reports:

A group of 911 LGBT people, weighted demographically and geographically have been informing PinkNews.co.uk of their voting intentions since March 2010 as well as their votes in the 2005 general election. Support for the Conservative Party has fallen from 17% in 2005 to 9% today. Labour support has dropped from 29% in 2005 and in the 2009 poll to 21% today. Liberal Democrat support has increased from 20% to 58%. The Green Party have dropped from 10% in 2005 to 8% today.

Oh, and here’s another reason why gay voters might doubt the resolve of the Tory party in advancing gay equality – here’s a stumbling and mumbling David Cameron defending his party’s record in an interview for Gay Times recently:

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , , , and | 5 Comments
Mark Pack

Nick Clegg’s speech to the Royal College of Nursing

By Mark Pack | Tue 27th April 2010 - 8:50 pm

Earlier in the week it was Gordon Brown addressing the nurses but today it was Nick Clegg’s turn. As journalist Paul Waugh put it:

Ooh, Matron. Clegg going down a storm with at nurses’ RCN conference. Better ovation, more laughs at his gags than Brown.

Here’s the speech which got this reaction:

Thank you so much for inviting me to speak to you today. It is a real honour to be here.

You don’t need me to tell you that the job you do is one of the most important jobs there is.

You are the lifesavers as well as the shoulders to cry …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

What the IFS says about Lib Dem policies (the good and the less good)

By Stephen Tall | Tue 27th April 2010 - 8:00 pm

The Institute for Fiscal Studies today delivered its Election Briefing 2010 verdict. We’ve looked at what it says about Lib Dem policies, and publish relevant extracts, below – highlighting both the positive aspects, and those where the IFS says the Lib Dems are lacking.

But if you don’t have time to read even our filleted version, here’s the filleted fillet:

  • In terms of reducing the deficit, the Tories will cut public spending most, Labour least; while Labour will increase taxes most, the Tories least. The Lib Dems are in the middle when it comes both to public spending cuts and tax increases.
  • As it stands Labour will have to find a further £7bn of tax increases in the next five years; the Tories will have to reverse half their announced £6bn tax cuts; while the Lib Dems will not have to go beyond what is already set out in the party’s manifesto.
  • Under either the Lib Dems or Labour public spending cuts in the next five years will have to be the most severe in a generation. Under the Tories the cuts would be the most severe in modern history.
  • No party has set out how it will tackle the deficit in full: the Lib Dems have gone furthest in being open and honest with voters, identifying over 25% of measures needed, ahead of either the Tories (17%) or Labour (13%).
  • The IFS does not believe there is a black hole in the Lib Dems’ tax reforms, and states that they are “progressive”.
  • The Lib Dem proposal to take all those earning under £10,000 out of income tax will be a better work incentive than the Tories’ proposed NI tax cut.
  • Only the Lib Dems have been clear about dedicating a £2.5 billion pupil premium to help pupils poor enough to be eligible for free school meals. The Tories’ pledge is labelled “unclear” by the IFS, while Labour is accused of re-badging existing money.

Here’s the fuller version …

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election | Tagged | 9 Comments
Mark Pack

Welcome to the new bloggers…

By Mark Pack | Tue 27th April 2010 - 5:50 pm

Three blogs have recently joined Ryan’s Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

Good luck to all the new bloggers, and why not take a moment to pop over to their blogs, take a read and post a comment?

Whether you are a new or experience blogger yourself, you may also find our compilation of “how to blog” posts useful:

Continue reading »
Posted in Online politics | Tagged | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

Clegg, Obama & the new Lib Dem voters

By Stephen Tall | Tue 27th April 2010 - 5:45 pm

Cross-posted from the International Business Times:

Let’s be clear: the Obama-Clegg comparisons that a few (a very few) in the media have made are not designed to flatter. They have been peddled for two reasons. First, because journalists are lazy, and will grab for the easiest political analogy. And secondly because journalists from the rightwing press have been hoping to over-hype ‘Cleggmania’ to try and provoke a backlash.

But there is one single instance in which I think the comparison holds. The first TV debate was the equivalent of Obama’s victory in the Democratic primaries: the time when a …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | 5 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: Edward McMillan-Scott – David Cameron has to come round on electoral reform

By NewsHound | Tue 27th April 2010 - 4:50 pm

Over at The Guardian’s Comment is Free website, the former Conservative MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, who defected to the Lib Dems earlier this year, argues that both principle and practicality dictate that Conservatives must rethink their stubborn opposition to proportional representation. Here’s an excerpt:

David Cameron talks irrationally about the power to sack a government, when, in reality, the only voters properly enfranchised in the UK are those in marginal seats – and these have been bought, he hopes, with Lord Ashcroft’s millions. …

Having chaired numerous observer missions, often organised through the EU’s Democracy Instrument, which I founded in 1990, I would

…

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Tagged | 4 Comments

The Independent View: Letter to Nick Clegg from Radical Future

By Ben Little | Tue 27th April 2010 - 3:15 pm

Dear Nick,

This election had the promise of being the most significant for a generation. My generation. It should be an opportunity for a radical change in direction in the same way that the elections of 1945 and 1979 were for our grandparents and parents respectively. This seems to be lost on Labour and the Conservatives, who simply want to preserve the status quo.

You’re making an appeal to the youth vote. If you’re listening, we’ve got plenty to say.

Those of us in the eighteen-to-thirty age bracket have been collectively failed by the electoral system. We

…

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | 7 Comments
Mark Pack

UK email newsletters rated

By Mark Pack | Tue 27th April 2010 - 1:45 pm

Jakob Nielsen, the usability experts’ usability expert, has an interesting post reviewing the election emails from the main parties. It’s a good piece – and you can read his own words here. Rather than repeat here all the good points he makes, here are some (small) caveats to it:

  • He writes, “It’s not enough to have a full privacy policy elsewhere on the site. Users need to be told the policy on the spot when you ask for sensitive info”, saying that having a link to a full privacy policy from the spot where you ask for sensitive information isn’t

…

Continue reading »
Posted in Online politics | Tagged | Leave a comment
Mark Pack

Bournemouth Conservative councillor switches to LibDems

By Mark Pack | Tue 27th April 2010 - 12:15 pm

The Bournemouth Daily Echo reports:

A BOURNEMOUTH councillor has defected from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats, claiming the “controlling” Tory group would not let him speak his mind.

Cllr Michael Griffiths, who represents Littledown and Iford, claims crucial council decisions are made by a “ruling clique” and that Conservative councillors are “whipped” into agreeing.

He cited the issues of Townsend School, the town centre master vision and the plans to outsource council services as examples where councillors were not allowed to question decisions.

He is also critical of David Cameron and his performance as Conservative leader.

You can read the full story here.

Posted in News | Tagged and | 1 Comment
Richard Flowers

The Myth of “Strong” Government

By Richard Flowers | Tue 27th April 2010 - 10:45 am

As their hopes recede of using our broken voting system to secure a majority government on a minority of support in the country, the Party most set against reform, the Conservatives, and their media proxies begin to reel out the scare stories.

“Lib Dem rules could paralyse government,” warned the Scotsman

“Paralysis, indecision and political chicanery,” were the fear of the Daily Mail’s full page editorial.

“The IMF could have to be called in,” thundered Ken Clarke!

Far from making a positive case to earn your vote, they resort to the desperate tactics of …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , and | 10 Comments
Stephen Tall

3 to see: Lib Dem #GE2010 campaign coverage (27/4/10)

By Stephen Tall | Tue 27th April 2010 - 10:15 am

Want to keep up with what’s happening in the media but too busy campaigning? Here’s a handy guide to a trio of today’s most essential stories …

Nick Clegg: I could work with Labour, just not Gordon Brown (Guardian)
The Lib Dem leader states his position in the event of Labour coming third behind the Lib Dems in share of the vote:

I think, if Labour do come third in terms of the number of votes cast, then people would find it inexplicable that Gordon Brown himself could carry on as prime minister. As for who I’d work with, I’ve been very

…

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election | 3 Comments
Mark Pack

This is why the posters, avatars, status updates and more matter

By Mark Pack | Tue 27th April 2010 - 9:20 am

From The Guardian’s report on its latest ICM poll (which puts the Lib Dems in second once again*):

There is also evidence that the bandwagon effect is helping the pick up votes: 31% of all voters, including 26% of Labour supporters, say knowing that other people are switching to the Lib Dems encourages them to do the same.

That’s one of the reasons why posters in windows, avatars on Twitter, group membership on Facebook and so on all matter: they help persuade more people to vote Liberal Democrat.

* Although the spread from first place to third is within the margin …

Continue reading »
Posted in Polls | Tagged and | Leave a comment
Stephen Tall

LDVideo: Turn Things Upside Down – Vote for Real Change

By Stephen Tall | Tue 27th April 2010 - 7:45 am

Continue reading »
Posted in YouTube | 8 Comments
Stephen Tall

Pollwatch Day 21 #GE2010 – Lib Dems in second place, at 28-31%, in today’s polls

By Stephen Tall | Mon 26th April 2010 - 11:40 pm

Four polls published tonight, as follows:

    ICM in the Guardian … CON 33%(-2), LAB 28%(+2), LIB DEM 30%(-1)
    Opinium in the Express … CON 34%(+2), LAB 25%(-1), LIB DEM 28%(-1)
    ComRes for ITV/Independent … CON 32%(-2), LAB 28%(nc), LIB DEM 31%(+2)
    YouGov in the Sun … CON 33%(-1), LAB 28%(nc), LIB DEM 29%(-1)

All movement is within the margin of error, and the degree of stability in the polls is striking: the Tories are at 32-34%, Lib Dems at 28-31% and Labour at 25-28%. Anthony Wells’ UK Polling Report ‘poll of polls’ shows the Lib Dems edging up:

    CON 33%, LAB 27%, LIB DEM 30%

It …

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election and Polls | Tagged , and | 5 Comments
Mark Pack

Labour suspends candidate who was expelled from the LibDems

By Mark Pack | Mon 26th April 2010 - 10:50 pm

The Cambridge News reports:

LABOUR’S candidate for South East Cambridgeshire John Cowan has been suspended by his party – after a fresh series of allegations about his conduct.

The latest claims about him, in a Sunday newspaper, say he boasted of his sexual exploits in online forums, and advertised for people to pose naked for his photographic portfolio.

The Sunday Telegraph also reported that Mr Cowan, a former glamour model manager, said he did not want his children to marry a Muslim.

The latest allegations follow revelations that Mr Cowan, 35, sent sexual emails to female figures in politics.

As the News reported last

…

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 3 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: James Graham – Lib Dems will make Labour sweat

By NewsHound | Mon 26th April 2010 - 9:50 pm

Over at The Guardian’s Comment is Free website, Lib Dem blogger James Graham pours a bucket of swill over Labour’s panicked suggestions that Nick Clegg’s about to jump into bed with the Tories. And another equal bucket of swill over the idea that Labour can take Nick Clegg for a patsy. Here’s an excerpt:

There are only two things I am certain of in this election. First, every vote for the Liberal Democrats is not just a vote for more Lib Dem MPs, but will strengthen Nick Clegg’s negotiating position. The time for tactical voting has passed: it is time

…

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election and LibLink | Tagged | 2 Comments
The Voice

“It is my job to see that Cameron f****** well gets into Downing Street” – Sun’s political editor

By The Voice | Mon 26th April 2010 - 8:50 pm

Full marks for frankness if not for political independence:

“It is my job to see that Cameron f****** well gets into Downing Street,” proclaimed Tom Newton Dunn, political editor of the Sun, to a group of journalists from rival papers, recently.

Newswer has more.

Posted in News | Tagged and | 5 Comments
Stephen Tall

Gurkhas join in Lib Dem election campaign in Maidstone

By Stephen Tall | Mon 26th April 2010 - 7:50 pm

The BBC reports:

Gurkhas have joined in the election campaign in Maidstone to support the Liberal Democrat candidate for Ann Widdecombe’s former Kent seat. Lib Dem candidate Peter Carroll set up the Gurkha Justice Campaign, which last year won the right for the Gurkhas to settle in the UK.

Mr Carroll said the Gurkhas, who are based in Folkestone, travelled to Maidstone on Saturday. “They brought all their musicians and dancers and it was like a carnival.”

Readers of the best-selling Why Vote Lib Dem book will have had chance to read a short article by Madan Kumar Gurung, a …

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election | Tagged , and | 5 Comments
Stephen Tall

David Cameron: scaremongering means just what I choose it to mean

By Stephen Tall | Mon 26th April 2010 - 6:35 pm

Compare …

I just think it is disgraceful to try and frighten people in an election campaign … You should not be frightening people in an election campaign, it is just not right.”

David Cameron in the second TV debate, 22nd April

… and Contrast

“It’s now all becoming clear – the great plan of Nick Clegg’s is becoming clear – he’s only interested in one thing and that is changing our electoral system so that we have a permanent hung Parliament, we have a permanent coalition, we never have strong and decisive government. That’s what he wants to do – it’s now becoming

…

Continue reading »
Posted in General Election | Tagged | 1 Comment
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Hywel
    "Let’s meet the constituency link full on. Most people now don’t have an MP of their political persuasion, so effectively there’s no link anyway. " Ind...
  • Mark Inskip
    Chris Berry seems to have either misunderstood or not properly listened to what Andy Burnham said. He said the State Pension "will hold its value relative to...
  • David Allen
    Governments have repeatedly tried and failed to solve the problem of unpredictable but potentially very high late-life social care costs. Burnham has come up w...
  • tony/Cumbria
    I too am saddened that Christine will not be fighting the next general election. The way she was treated by the leadership in England and now, Scotland, I am no...
  • Peter Davies
    @Paul Barbour as of 2024 less than 18% of the population was over 65. What is your definition of soon?...