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Category - general election 2010

  • 27 Apr 2010
    Ethics election poll watch: Three main parties closer than ever

    Three new polls out today show how close the race is now between the three biggest parties - with only 4- 5% between them.

  • 27 Apr 2010
    Tuesday 27 April 'ethics election' agenda and comment

    9:30am Peter Mandelson, Ed Balls and work and pensions secretary, Yvette Cooper, hold press conference at Labour HQ in London

    9:30am European anti-poverty network England (London branch) and Salvation Army host a conference on Seeds of Inclusion

    9:30am Scottish education secretary Michael Russell at the University of West of Scotland to sign the NUS Student Pledge

    Nick Clegg to outline plans for the NHS, including giving nurses more decision-making power

    10.00am David Cameron to discuss ways of fixing "Britain's broken society" at event organised by Centre for Social Justice at church.co.uk

    10:00am SNP expected to start legal proceedings today against the BBC over exclusion from prime ministerial TV debates, with SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon lodging papers at Court of Session, Edinburgh

    10:50am BBC broadcasts 12 regional debates

    11:00am Ed Balls, David Willetts and David Laws debate policy regarding disadvantaged children and families

    Gordon Brown to warn that children will bear the brunt of Conservative and Lib Dem cuts

    2:15pm Peter Mandelson, Ken Clarke, John Thurso and John Swinney for the SNP go head to head in Daily Politics debate live on BBC2

    2:30pm Nick Clegg addresses Royal College of Nursing annual conference in Bournemouth

    Conservatives will screen party election broadcast against 'hung parliament party'

  • 26 Apr 2010
    Great ignored? Tories are only major party failing to make manifesto reference to asylum

    A quick analysis of the various positions of the parties contained in their manifestos on asylum finds Labour making a very bland reference and the Conservatives making no reference at all (the 'Great Ignored'?). This is despite the Tory manifesto running to over 100 pages. The other parties do better with the exception of Plaid, who also make no mention, and UKIP whose policy is based largely on detention. The Lib Dems promise to let asylum seekers work and end the detention of children, and the Greens promise to end destitution - all policies strongly supported by the churches.

  • 26 Apr 2010
    LibDems could scrap all nuclear weapons, says Hughes

    A senior Liberal Democrat has said his party may choose to scrap all the UK's nuclear weapons, suggesting a different emphasis to party leader Nick Clegg's focus on a cheaper alternative to Trident.

  • 26 Apr 2010
    Archbishop to hold general election ‘mass for migrant amnesty’

    Over 2,000 Catholic migrants living and working in London are expected to attend a special Mass for Migrants at the beginning of the last week of the general election campaign.

  • 26 Apr 2010
    The double standards of the Tory attack on a hung parliament

    I was on Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine programme at lunchtime discussing the merits of a hung parliament and coalition government with Tory Nick Wood.

    Putting aside the specific economic and political arguments for and against, the following points struck me about the Tory assault on the idea of a hung parliament today. They are sending out hugely mixed signals, and also displaying double standards:

  • 26 Apr 2010
    Sunday Telegraph ignores own poll showing support for migrant amnesty

    Two weeks ago, the Telegraph ran a column by Frank Field entitled: 'Why is there no talk about immigration?'. The answer may have now come to light, as the Sunday Telegraph seems to have failed to highlight findings from its own polling.

    In the ICM poll it commissioned, which was released on Saturday night, was a question about an amnesty for illegal immigrants (p10):

    Would you support/oppose: Allowing illegal immigrants who have a clean record and have been in Britain for 10 years or more, to become full British citizens?

    The findings:

    Support: 55%
    Oppose: 40%
    DK: 6%

  • 26 Apr 2010
    Charities say parties must commit to a Fairness Test for tackling the deficit

    Church Action on Poverty, the TUC and leading charities have asked for the big party leaders’ commitment that tax rises and spending cuts will not hit the poorest hardest.

  • 26 Apr 2010
    Clegg says electoral reform could be a post-election deal breaker

    Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, whose party is still riding high in the polls, says that electoral reform could be a deal breaker for a post-election hung parliament arrangement.

  • 26 Apr 2010
    Monday 26 April 'ethics election' agenda and comment

    10.00am Gordon Brown in Bournemouth addresing Royal College of Nursing conference.

    10:30am Plaid Cymru press conference.

    11.00am Ed Balls speaks at UNISON's school staff conference.

    12.45pm Vince Cable meets ex-workers of Corus steelworks in Redcar.

    12.45pm Nick Clegg visit tidal power unit in Aberdeen.

    1.00pm Bob Ainsworth sets out "Labour Party View of UK Defence Policy" at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Whitehall.

    2.00pm - Daily Politics live election debate on environment with Ed Miliband, Greg Clark, Simon Hughes and Darren Johnson for the Greens. Andrew Neil and Newsnight's Justin Rowlatt.

    SNP leader Alex Salmond joins actor and comedienne Elaine C Smith at a public meeting in Inverurie.