Just to add to the 1997 vibe, saw Alan McGee near Westminster today.

Labour's Yuan Yang, a former FT journalist, is set to win in Earley and Woodley – a seat that includes parts of Theresa May and John Redwood's constituencies.

I interviewed her on the reddening of the suburbs and her new book on China. newstatesman.com/encounter/2024…

My opening post with 42 days to polling day:
The Conservatives have never been this close to the precipice
sotn.newstatesman.com/2024/05/the-co…

New:

- Shadow cabinet will meet tomorrow to receive their marching orders
- Labour parliamentary staffers have been seconded to HQ
- Source: 'We’re going to be really, really aggressive. [The Tories] have got a huge price to pay for what they’ve done, and we’ll make them pay.”

Rather than people flooding to the Tories, the danger is a quiet scepticism which means them not voting at all.

🖊️ Andrew Marr
newstatesman.com/politics/uk-po…

Labour's Yuan Yang, a former FT journalist, is set to win in Earley and Woodley – a seat that includes parts of Theresa May and John Redwood's constituencies.

I interviewed her on the reddening of the suburbs and her new book on China. newstatesman.com/encounter/2024…

Interviewed Labour candidate and former FT journalist Yuan Yang on her new book on China, the reddening of the suburbs and why she founded Rethinking Economics. newstatesman.com/encounter/2024…

sotn.newstatesman.com/2024/05/britai…

'The 'time for a change' mood is already too strong for the Tories to pull off a surprise victory.'

David Gauke on why the best Sunak can hope for is to limit the scale of the defeat. newstatesman.com/comment/2024/0…

'Cruel', 'heartbreaking', 'a terrible idea', 'a shitshow'.

This is excellent from Rachel Cunliffe on why so many Tories are furious with Rishi Sunak. newstatesman.com/politics/conse…

Labour does *not* need a Blair-style swing for a majority.

Strategists believe a six-point lead would be enough (supported by this estimate from Focaldata). newstatesman.com/politics/labou…

There are even grumblings of febrile (an overused but now very apt word) MPs so upset by the move that they are submitting letters of no confidence in Rishi Sunak.

It’s hard to imagine a less united party heading into a six-week election campaign.

newstatesman.com/politics/conse…

My piece for @newstatesman on Rishi Sunak’s surprise General Election announcement and why he did it. newstatesman.com/comment/2024/0…

not humble brag

Sunak's dismal speech mirrored the Tories poor chances in the general election.  

Analysis 👇
newstatesman.com/politics/uk-po…

The Tories want to fight the election on the economy, the problem with that can be summed up in two words: Liz Truss.

'If all this speculation comes to nothing, the whole government operation will appear incompetent. More incompetent than a government operation that kicks off a campaign with a warning to stockpile food? Who knows. Nothing about today makes any sense.'

newstatesman.com/politics/uk-po…

The problem for the Tories if they run on the economy: this is the worst parliament for living standards on record (via Resolution Foundation).