How odd. Labour might win. Hahahaha :-)

Gordon Brown on course to win election - Times Online

GORDON BROWN is on course to remain prime minister after the general election as a new Sunday Times poll reveals that Labour is now just two points behind the Tories.

The YouGov survey places David Cameron’s Conservatives on 37%, as against 35% for Labour — the closest gap between the parties in more than two years.

Oh dear. Poor old Tories. And poor old Rawnsley. His 'book' seems to have had the effect of boosting Brown. How odd... hahahaha.

Speaking profit unto Tory

BBC to close two radio stations and halve web output after Tory pressure | Media | The Guardian

The report has been drawn up by ­senior BBC executive John Tate, a former head of the Conservative policy unit who ­co-wrote the Tory party's 2005 manifesto with David Cameron.

A political decision - ringing clarity on free personal care

BBC News - Today - Free personal care 'is affordable'

An emergency conference on social care for the elderly is to take place today, chaired by Health Secretary for England Andy Burnham. The Conservatives, who broke off from private cross party discussions last week, are not expected to attend.

The conference will examine Scotland's social care system which boasts cross party support.

Prof Allyson Pollock, director of the Centre for international Public Health Policy at Edinburgh University, explains what can be learnt from Scotland's approach to social care.

Well said by Prof P and well worth 4 minutes of your time.

Branson weighs in

Sir Richard Branson supports David Cameron on cuts to speed recovery | News

“I believe the UK's record budget deficit does pose a serious risk to our recovery.

“It would be damaging if we lost the confidence of the markets through delayed action and saw interest rates have to go up steeply.”

He added: “We are going to have to cut our spending and I agree with the 20 leading economists who said we need to start this year. The next government, whatever party that is, must set out a plan to reduce the bulk of the deficit over a Parliament by cutting wasteful spending and must not put off those tough decisions to next year.

“These factors threaten to undermine the confidence of international and UK business, UK consumers and the global financial markets. That could cost jobs and reduce investment in Britain.

“We must send a clear signal that we have the issues in hand and a clear strategy for UK plc.”

Hahahahahahaha

Turmoil at MySpace blamed on News Corporation | Technology | guardian.co.uk

"He absolutely has no idea," he said. "If people really quite understood how little feeling he has for this business, they would fall down laughing – or crying."

ROFL.

My Queen and I

Alexander McQueen: A genius is lost – and darkness has won | Life and style | The Guardian

He loved to describe himself as an anarchist, but when he received his CBE he told his parents that he locked eyes with the Queen and that it was like falling in love.

The bumster genius.

Low wage employers are the fraudsters

Why does Britain find social democracy so hard? | Deborah Orr | Comment is free | The Guardian

The "benefit trap" has a vice-like grip, and it exists because greedy scroungers come in lots of forms – most perniciously, in the form of people who insist on their right to offer the lowest possible payment for an honest day's work, even – especially – when they pride themselves above all else on their ability to "create wealth".

"Sure footed" Labour beats "charismatic" SNP in latest Scottish poll

SNP frozen out by a winter of discontent - Herald Scotland | Comment | Herald View

In a poll across Scotland, taken before the eruption last week of the SNP cash-for-access row, Labour has leapfrogged the Nationalists for the first time since the previous Holyrood elections.

....

While there is little change in the standing of the other parties, this snapshot shows Labour up five points to 37% at the expense of the SNP, which drops five to 35%. This is all the more surprising when the performance of Labour leader at Holyrood, Iain Gray, though sure-footed, has been lacking in charisma.

NB this is for Scottish Parliament constituencies. The SP regional preferences are Labour 37 SNP 30 (down from a peak of 40 in 2008). For Westminster elections the figures are Labour 42 SNP 26.

Oh dear. Poor old criminal Ali...

BBC News - Alastair Campbell in emotional defence of Blair on Iraq

Alastair Campbell: "I've been through a lot on this...I'm a bit upset"

Alastair Campbell has emotionally denied Tony Blair misled Parliament over the intelligence in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq war.

Mr Campbell had to take a moment to compose himself after being asked the question on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.