Author Archives: tpbale

Unknown's avatar

About tpbale

I teach politics at Queen Mary University of London.

‘David Cameron shouldn’t bank on Angela Merkel to sort out his EU issues’ Guardian, 26 February, 2014

Angela Merkel and David Cameron didn’t get off to the greatest of starts: one of his earliest decisions as party leader was to pull Conservative MEPs out of Merkel’s party’s group in the European parliament. But their relationship seems to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Getting the populists’ message’, Policy Network, 20 February 2014

The power of populism lies principally in its appeal to our emotions, or so we’re often told.  That may be true – but only up to a point.  Focusing on populism’s emotional appeal allows us to forget that much of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Should cagey Osborne flex his electoral pectorals?’, The Conversation, 4 February 2014

Who lives at Number Ten Downing Street? The answer is of course… George Osborne. While his official residence may be next door at Number Eleven, it is he and not David Cameron who lives in the flat above the Prime … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Inside the Tory Mind’, Progress, 3 February 2014

The past often sheds light on the present, either by throwing up stark contrasts or by revealing eerie similarities. Stuart Ball’s book,  Portrait of a Party: The Conservative Party in Britain 1918-1945, which came out last year, provides plenty of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Tim Yeo’s deselection: Is this the start of a Tory Spring?’ Telegraph, 5 February, 2014

The result of the ballot of local members was decisive. After a long and bloody deselection battle with his constituency association, the sitting MP had to admit defeat. Tim Yeo, Suffolk South, February 2014? No. Nigel Nicholson, Bournemouth East, 45 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Picking up on populism: playing with fire, or putting out the flames?’, Policy Network, 15 January 2014

The centre-left is still missing a popular critique, particularly on the economy. Picking up on populism may be playing with fire but, done carefully and, dare one say, responsibly, it could very well do social democrats more good than harm … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Four reasons Ed Miliband is still a good opposition leader, Guardian, 16 January 2014

Ed Miliband’s numbers are bad – so bad that apparently anyone presenting on polling to the shadow cabinet isn’t allowed to talk about them. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s doing a bad job as Labour leader. Nor does it mean his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Alan Bown’s Ukip polling only tells half the story, Telegraph, 18 December 2013

I’m not entirely sure how Ukip’s latest sugar-daddy, Alan Bown, has chosen the constituencies in which he’s commissioned polls, but they were presumably picked because they’re easily portrayed as precisely the sort of seats the Tories need to hold on … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How the countryside could lose David Cameron the 2015 general election, Telegraph, 1 November 2013

Quite how they conducted their poll, I’m not sure – they never got back to me.* But the Countryside Alliance is claiming that around a fifth of its members have fallen out of love with the Conservatives. And not just because … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Get a sense of humour: the Tories and Coalition, Spectator, 5 October 2013

Like so many pundits before me, I had earnestly hoped never to begin a piece on coalitions by quoting Disraeli.  But since I was asked by Bright Blue and the Electoral Reform Society to join Mrs Bone’s husband, as well … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment