New polling by YouGov for The Times reveals the extent of voters’ mistrust when it comes to Labour and antisemitism. Polling carried out on Wednesday and Thursday this week, after the revelations about Ali and Jones, has only 3% of voters agreeing that Starmer has successfully tackled antisemitism. Just over a quarter think that a good start has even been made…
The polling also reveals only 29% of voters believe Starmer has made his party more fit for government, with 38% saying no difference has been made. 13% say he’s actually made it worse…
Meanwhile Azhar Ali continues to campaign from his car and circulate campaign posters that pit him against “Anti-Palestine Starmer“. Some creative work has been done to turn the Labour leader into a clown. Ali’s message is: “It’s time to teach Starmer a lesson in Rochdale“. Guido predicts Reform’s pitch of “Rochdale not Gaza” will start hitting home…
It’s a big test for the Tories today. Voters are heading to the polls for a double by-election in both Wellingborough and Kingswood, two current Tory holds. Labour needs an 18% swing in Wellingborough (Tory since 2005) and 11% in Kingswood (Tory since 2010). A much easier task than their recent by-election wins. If the Tories lose both seats tonight, they’ll have reached their most by-election losses in a single parliament since the Second World War…
Both parties have been managing expectations, with the Tories insisting they will lose both (they’re probably right) and Labour officials saying “winning these seats was always going to be a massive challenge”. Meanwhile, no Tory MPs have been to either seat, though CCHQ are insisting that it’s not an order, they’re just being “realistic”…
Despite Labour’s atrocious week, a quarter of 2019 Tory voters are switching to Labour on the doorstep in Wellingborough. Meanwhile Reform are calling this campaign the “best-received yet” and it’s telling that the Tories are focussing more on Reform than Labour in this seat. Kingswood results are expected between 4-5 am tomorrow and Wellingborough by mid-morning. Rishi may be in double-trouble tomorrow…
It’s Valentine’s Day, and the Tories and Labour press teams are celebrating the annual festival of love in the only way they know how: using the theme to attack each other. No love lost here…
Labour’s digital attack team took to drawing up a mock Spotify Valentine playlist for Sunak, twisting romantic song titles to rip into Rishi’s poor track record on achieving his pledges. Probably not a playlist Sunak will play tonight…
Labour is red, the Tories are blue, Rishi Sunak has failed, he’s done nothing for you. pic.twitter.com/1jI0bxGUzx
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) February 14, 2024
The Tories took a raunchier choice for a doting gift to Sir Kier, making a twitter thread of “Starmer Sutra” all the different positions the Labour leader can take. He may have preferred some flowers, though it is a compliment to his flexibility…
The Starmer Sutra is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the politically promiscuous.
Written by the father of u-turns, this is the definitive how-to guide on flip-flopping into different positions on anything.
*Only available in paperback and spineless editions* pic.twitter.com/Lb3e1fr07k
— Conservatives (@Conservatives) February 14, 2024
So far they’ve nine posts of times Starmer has flip flopped. Here’s one…
STARMER SUTRA, POSITION 9:
The non-dominatrix. pic.twitter.com/jd4BjuY9KI
— Conservatives (@Conservatives) February 14, 2024
Roses are red, violets are blue, the Tories are down, though now Labour is too…
Labour has been trying to do damage control after having to suspend their candidate Graham Jones following Guido’s recording of him at the infamous meeting with Azhur Ali. Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey had been tasked with the unenviable job of doing the morning media round and defending the party. Healey was out of his depth…
He conceded that Labour “is not a party of people who are saints” and that the party “can’t guarantee that no one connected to the party will say something wrong or unacceptable”. Though he did guarantee that when that happens they will “investigate and take action”. They may have their work cut out for them if that’s the case…
Starmer visited Wellingborough today and was asked by reporters if Labour would be investigating “the other councillors who also joined in with that discussion” at the meeting of October 31st. Starmer said in response:
“Well, those comments were appalling and that is why we took decisive action. It is virtually unprecedented to withdraw support for a candidate in the way that I withdrew support for this candidate yesterday, that’s what a changed Labour Party is all about, and of course any allegation will be fully investigated by the Labour Party“.
After dodging the question he was then asked the same question about the other councillors again, he just said:
“Any allegation that needs to be investigated will be investigated“.
Starmer has now – on the record – committed to investigate other attendees if further allegations arise…
The Lancashire Conservative Group has sent a letter to Labour on the notorious Ali meeting. They want to know three things:
1. “Were any other Lancashire Labour MP’s, county or borough councillors, or parliamentary candidates at that meeting, if yes, will you release those names publicly.
2. Did those MPs, councillors or candidates speak up to oppose Mr Ali’s conspiratorial comments, or report them to relevant authorities in the Labour Party?
3. Where in Lancashire did this meeting take place?”
These are pertinent questions for Labour. Ali made his conspiracy theory views known and said he would state them publicly. Anyone else in the meeting in an official role should have reported this. Did they?
See the full letter below:
