Conservatives

The key questions are our immigration policy, tariff regime and whether we cosy up to the US or the EU It would be crazy to take anything for granted. The polls have been wrong before. Tactical voting may turn all the predictions upside down. Newly registered voters might change all the results. Even so, if the Conservatives do manage to get a majority on Friday morning, and if Boris Johnson remains as Prime Minister, then one thing is certain. The UK is finally leaving the European Union in January. The trouble is, we need to debate what Brexit actually means. So far we have just been arguing about whether to leave. What we do once we are out has hardly been discussed. But in fact the UK will... … [Read more...] about The three Brexit debates we need to start resolving on Friday

With just two days until the election, the choice for voters is now clear. We will face a hung parliament with Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister, propped up by the SNP and Liberal Democrats, feeding uncertainty while the country is stuck in neutral. Or voters can give the Conservatives a working majority, which will allow Boris Johnson to drive Britain forward, and get parliament out of the rut it has been in. Just imagine for a moment the nightmare before Christmas, if we wake up on Friday 13th to another hung parliament, the keys to Downing Street in the hands of Mr Corbyn. Think what it would mean for you and your family. Government would be paralysed almost immediately, preparing for two more... … [Read more...] about We are at a crossroads and it is no time to go in circles

It was considered one of the most effective social media campaigns in British politics.  In 2016, Dominic Cummings  unleashed project “Waterloo” to help win the EU referendum. The strategy involved spending almost all of Vote Leave's campaign budget on Facebook in the days leading up to the vote. “We basically dumped our entire budget in the last 10 days, and really in the last three or four days,” Cummings said after the vote. “We aimed it at roughly 7 million people, who saw something like one and a half billion digital ads over a relatively short period of time.” Now, the Conservative Party is hoping to recreate that success. In the past month, the Tories have spent around £200,000 - three... … [Read more...] about A Tory social media blitz is taking over Facebook and YouTube

An independent candidate at the upcoming federal election has been accused of distributing results of a fake poll showing a swing of more than 20 per cent towards her. Louise Stewart, who describes herself as an 'independent Liberal', is hoping to win the affluent Perth seat of Curtin, where former foreign minister and Liberal deputy leader Julie Bishop is retiring. The businesswoman's political aspirations, however, are in trouble after she gave a fake ReachTEL poll to The West Australian newspaper which purportedly showed a 23 per cent swing away from the Liberal Party and towards her. Louise Stewart (pictured), who describes herself as an 'independent Liberal', has been accused of distributing results of a fake poll showing a 20 per cent swing towards her That kind of result would almost see Ms Stewart defeat Liberal candidate Celia Hammond, with Labor and Green preferences. ReachTEL, however, said it had never conducted such a poll in the electorate, which takes in Perth's … [Read more...] about Independent candidate ‘distributed’ FAKE poll showing a 20% swing towards her – despite Liberal Party being the overwhelming favourite

Rosy-cheeked temptress Aunt Sally has been replaced by an altogether darker version in the new BBC adaptation of Worzel Gummidge this Christmas. Actress Vicki Pepperdine has told how her version of the fairground doll is a far cry from the 1980s character made famous by Una Stubbs. In the original TV series, the character was a painted beauty with whom the scarecrow, played by Jon Pertwee, was very much in love. But this time around comic Pepperdine will play her far closer to the original bitter, maiden aunt version created by Barbara Euphan Todd in her books, which were first published in 1936. And rather than feeling amorous towards her, Worzel – who can swap his head between a swede and a turnip depending on his mood - is left feeling rather terrified. Pepperdine said that the poor doll has been languishing for years in a museum. “Our Aunt Sally, like the Aunt Sally in the original 1930s books, has been retired from fairground work and is now residing in a dusty old … [Read more...] about New Worzel Gummidge actress tells of much darker take on Aunt Sally character