New polling from Survation in the New Statesman today, in a hypothetical world in which Starmer didn’t stop ‘his friend’ Andy Burnham standing in Gorton and Denton:
Certain to vote: Green 25%, Labour 47%, Don’t Know 7%, Reform 21%
Among all voters: Green 17%, Labour 33%, Don’t Know 30%, Reform 15%
If Burnham had stood, he likely would have taken the seat. There’s always next time. Although the mayoral election to fill his vacancy would be a nail-biter…
In Henry Mance’s piece today for the FT, lunching with Nigel Farage:
“Splendido!” Farage says, when the drinks arrive; I suppose it’s a step to European reconciliation. We clink glasses, and he lights the first of two back-to-back Benson & Hedges. A few minutes later, we’re back downstairs. “Are you drinking? Good.” He orders a glass of Sauvignon blanc for each of us — not a bottle, “because it’s Lent” — followed by a bottle of claret, to have with our meal. They say Farage drinks less than he used to. They say a lot of things.”