Labourites ought to realise that their party has been in decline since 1950s – it's terminal http://t.co/xRuStRhr0a—
Jon Holbrook (@JonHolb) May 07, 2015
Voting shares in British general elections since 1832
08 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Public Choice Tags: British general election, British politics, voter demographics
By-election and death watch starts in the House of Commons tomorrow!
07 May 2015 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, economic history, politics, Public Choice Tags: British general election, by-elections
With a razor-thin majority likely after the British general election today, by-elections will be of unusual significance in Parliament of 650 middle-aged and older parliamentarians working under great stress with easy access to alcohol, food and little exercise. Backbench revolts will also take on a new meaning when there is a razor-thin majority.
1992, 1998 and 2010 are the only calendar years in history without a single by-election in the House of Commons.
Peter Kellner’s final seat prediction – y-g.co/1byCjZ4 http://t.co/TFmg7vFUf0—
(@YouGov) May 06, 2015
The British Labour governments elected in 1964 and 1974 had small majorities. The majority was three seats after the 1974 election; four seats after the 1964 election. There was an early election in 1966 and two elections in 1974.
The Fixed Term Parliament Act rules out another general election unless a government is voted down on a motion of no confidence and another government is not formed within 14 days.
The Callaghan government fell on a no-confidence vote by one vote in 1979 after seeing its majority eroded by defeats in by-elections.

One of the jobs of the whips in the British House of Commons is to marshal sick and dying MPs for crucial votes. They have a rule that a vote of an MP goes in on the nod as long as his ambulance is parked in the speaker’s courtyard.
At least two ambulances were so parked when the Callaghan government lost its no confidence vote in 1979.
Legend has it that the Tory party whip prodded one of the patients in the back of the ambulance to check if he was still alive. He was so that the Tory whip told the Labour party whip ‘you lose’ and the Callaghan government fell by one vote.
Sir Alfred Broughton, a Labour MP who was on his death bed was not asked to come in despite offering to do so. He died four days after the vote.
Why tomorrow's UK election is looking good for Ed Miliband, via our majority-builder: econ.st/1IhUiBG http://t.co/zg6gFZq2eF—
The Economist (@EconBizFin) May 07, 2015
When asked to honour a gentlemen’s agreement about pairing sick MPs, Tory whip Bernard Weatherill said pairing had never been intended for votes on Matters of Confidence and it would be impossible to find a Conservative MP who would agree to abstain.
After a moment’s reflection, Weatherill offered to abstain because he felt it would be dishonourable to break his word to deputy Chief Whip for the Labour Party, Walter Harrison about pairing conventions, which was a gentlemen’s agreement.
Harrison was so impressed by Weatherill’s offer – which would have ended his political career – that he released Weatherill from his obligation and the Government fell by one vote on the agreement of gentlemen. Weatherill was later elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In a most unpredictable election, 1 in 4 voters still undecided on election day
07 May 2015 Leave a comment
in politics, Public Choice Tags: British general election, expressive voting, rational ignorance, rational irrationality, voter demographics

Peter Kellner’s final seat prediction – y-g.co/1byCjZ4 http://t.co/TFmg7vFUf0—
(@YouGov) May 06, 2015
via General Election 2015: Britain prepares to go to the polls | Daily Mail Online.
The Sun adds colour to every British election
07 May 2015 Leave a comment
in economics of media and culture Tags: British general election, media bias
Labour stays silent over gender segregation at party rally
05 May 2015 Leave a comment
in discrimination, election campaigns, gender Tags: British general election, Left-wing hypocrisy, sex discrimination, UK politics
Labour stays silent over gender segregation at party rally specc.ie/1QcJHJf via @spectator http://t.co/Qs2FZV9Z7e—
Steerpike (@MrSteerpike) May 03, 2015
Up to a thousand expected at the great Labour Rally tomorrow at 4.00 being organised by @ansar_ali_khan http://t.co/Paec01bT8c—
Jack Dromey (@JackDromeyMP) May 01, 2015
UK labour has gone one up from the credit card pledges
04 May 2015 Leave a comment
in Public Choice Tags: British general election, Tony Blair, UK politics
Ed Miliband's stone slab. Labour says will be put up in Downing St garden if they win http://t.co/sQ44clVtYq—
lucy manning (@lucymanning) May 03, 2015

In a great irony, the stone monolith in the garden of No. 10 may not get local council planning permission, and more importantly, permission to alter an historic building from Historic England.
British economic recoveries compared
03 May 2015 Leave a comment
in business cycles, global financial crisis (GFC), great depression, great recession, job search and matching, macroeconomics Tags: British economy, British general election, recessions and recoveries
Growth was good last year, will be okay in years to come. But overall? The slowest recovery in history #Budget2015 http://t.co/oMpkKpvIa1—
Fraser Nelson (@FraserNelson) March 18, 2015
The UK Greens tax and spending plans
22 Apr 2015 Leave a comment
in income redistribution, Public Choice, public economics Tags: British general election, expressive voting, rational ignorance, rational irrationality, Uk Greens, UK politics
The Tories used to win a lot of votes in Scotland
16 Apr 2015 Leave a comment
in Public Choice Tags: British general election, British politics, Scotland, Tory party
There was a time when Scotland was more Conservative than England. blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpol… http://t.co/JykfZuq4iZ—
(@UberSerf) March 27, 2015
Good to see the hard left are still at it in the British general election
16 Apr 2015 Leave a comment
in Marxist economics, Public Choice Tags: British general election, hard left, Leftover Left
Are you the Judean People's Front? Here are the Socialist/Communist/Workers parties standing in #GE2015: http://t.co/hDhqO2JGP8—
Tom Harris (@tnjharris) April 14, 2015
The Scottish National Party manifesto
15 Apr 2015 Leave a comment
in income redistribution, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: British general election, British politics, Scotland, Scottish National party
SNP manifesto. #PrivateEye http://t.co/oD3iuyajBl—
Wire Spy (@wirespyuk) April 02, 2015
The six-way 2015 British general election is warming up
14 Nov 2014 Leave a comment
in politics, Public Choice Tags: British general election

The election is six way because the Scottish Nationalists are expected to sweep the Labour seats in Scotland, which will give them 40 seats or more at the expense of Labour. The Tories have one seat in Scotland.
The Greens are now polling enough to split enough votes away from Labour to allow the Tories or Liberal Democrats to win Labour seats. Many Liberal Democratic seats appear to be going back to the Tories now.
UK is pressing at the heels of the Conservative party in England. How that will work to the advantage of Labour coming through the middle in England is unknown.
Ed Miliband has managed to be more unpopular than Michael Foot.


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