Monthly Archives: October 2014

Is it Yvette Harman? Frontbench recognition and leadership succession

At the beginning of each year I test my first year politics students by presenting them with a series of photographs of members of the frontbench teams of each of the three main political parties and asking them to identify them and … Continue reading

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Putting some stick about: House of Cards and parliamentary whipping

The recent glossy American remake has brought a new audience to the political drama House of Cards, but the original BBC drama from the 1990s has been a feature of our first year politics course for a number of years, and does bear repeated … Continue reading

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Will there be more? David Cameron must walk a fine line to prevent further defections to UKIP

There is an axiom in politics that, when managing their own party, Prime Ministers need to accommodate three groups of MPs: those who are Ministers; those who want to be Ministers; and those who have been Ministers, but are now … Continue reading

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Who Runs Britain? Poll – 10 October 2014

The results of the first Who Runs Britain? opinion poll of this year are as follows: The other parties supported gained one vote each. They were: Left Unity; Libertarian; Monster Raving Loony; Socialist; Socialist Worker Party. The figures were calculated as follows. … Continue reading

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You think this lot are bad: errant MPs and a word on punishment

There is a widespread, and not entirely unjustified, impression that most parliamentarians are venal, self-serving individuals whose sole motivation is self aggrandisement and personal gain. While this is a view with which many, including myself, would disagree it can at times be frustratingly difficult to maintain … Continue reading

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