Lord Ashcroft
The Tory donor who’ll take a sword to the ‘morons’
Buried deep in the Sunday Times is the Tories’ answer to the problem that is Lord Ashcroft. James Tyler is a fund manager who has donated £250,000 to the Tory… Continue reading
7 CommentsWhen does reputational damage become real damage?
So has the Lord Ashcraft saga fouled the Tories’ reputation? Well, looking at this One Poll survey in PR Week it would seem it has. 52 percent of respondents feel… Continue reading
28 CommentsThe Tories try to plug a leak
What a difference two weeks make. When the Ashcroft story first broke, the Tory response was equal parts sloppy and defensive. Now, their operation seems altogether more incisive. William Hague… Continue reading
24 CommentsThe Lib Dems keep ‘em guessing
Last week, Nick Clegg was singing the blues. But, this week, it’s clear that he’s doing as much as possible to distinguish his party from the others. Indeed, his performance… Continue reading
9 CommentsThe Tories and Lord Ashcroft – stupidity rather than wrongdoing?
So the Lord Ashcroft story is back on the airwaves, courtesy of a document leaked to the BBC. That document shows William Hague was "satisfied" with the discussions about Ashcroft’s… Continue reading
44 CommentsFor the workers?
One of the defences that Labour types are mustering over Unite is, bascially, that it’s better to be funded by a body which represents some two million workers than by… Continue reading
32 CommentsThe Tory campaign is getting back on track
Whisper it quietly, but there is a sense that the Tory campaign is getting back on track. The Tories have had three good days in a row, have Labour on… Continue reading
37 CommentsAt last, the Tories get organised
Three weeks ago, James argued that the Tories’ incoherence emanated from their disjointed campaign management. Steve Hilton, Andy Coulson, George Osborne and George Bridges were not communicating and the stark… Continue reading
48 CommentsTornado in the chamber
It was like a volcano going off. At PMQs today Cameron was calmly dissecting the prime minister’s underfunding of the Afghan war when he quoted two former defence chiefs who’d… Continue reading
66 CommentsThe Tories will have waves of dirt thrown at them
If you want a flavour of what is going to be thrown at the Tories between now and May 6th, read Jonathan Freedland’s column today. Freedland has a fair point… Continue reading
30 CommentsA well-timed change of heart from Lord Paul?
Previously, there were rumblings that Lord Paul was considering quitting the Lords to keep his non-dom status. Today, he has confirmed that he will end his non-dom status and remain… Continue reading
12 CommentsGuess what Miliband and Mandelson are going on about…
Fourteen years on from "education, education, education," Labour seems to have hit upon three new priorities for government: "Ashcroft, Ashcroft, Ashcroft". Sure, we all knew that they would push this… Continue reading
67 CommentsAny fallout that the Tories face over Ashcroft is of their own making
Although the heat seems to be coming off Lord Ashcroft himself, attention is now rapidly focussing on the Tory leadership. I mean, it was one thing when William Hague admitted… Continue reading
42 CommentsAshcroft in the clear?
The Beeb were reporting it an hour or so ago, but now it’s been confirmed: the Electoral Commission has cleared the Tories and Lord Ashcroft of any wrongdoing over £5.1… Continue reading
49 CommentsHague gives Hattie a PMQs kicking
Brown bunked off PMQs today, claiming a prior luncheon engagement with President Zuma of South Africa. Downing Street blamed the Queen for double-booking the PM. Can that be true? The… Continue reading
53 CommentsLabour will relish this opportunity to prolong the Ashcroft story
When Gordon Brown pulled out of PMQs this week because of Jacob Zuma’s state visit there was much chortling that he didn’t much fancy PMQs. But I suspect that Labour… Continue reading
22 CommentsLabour’s pursuit of Ashcroft could backfire
I wrote yesterday that Lord Ashcroft’s statement about his tax status should have drawn a "rather neat line under the issue". Sure, it’s hardly ideal that someone with such influence… Continue reading
70 CommentsAre the Tories over the worst of the wobble?
We are expecting at least one poll tonight, the YouGov tracker, and I think there will be one other. If these polls show the Tories ahead by six—a level that… Continue reading
26 CommentsLord Ashcroft confirms his tax status
Lord Ashcroft has just released a statement admitting that he’s a non-dom, and suggesting that he’ll soon become a full UK taxpayer. Here’s the key passage: "My precise tax status… Continue reading
52 Comments