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Ed Miliband was mobbed by a hen party in Chester who demanded a selfie with the Labour leader…
SNP Manifesto
Connect previews what to expect…
Nicola Sturgeon will today launch the SNP’s manifesto in Edinburgh setting out an “alternative to austerity”. It is expected that the manifesto will commit SNP MPs to participate in votes on major issues south of the border which will impact on devolved areas in Scotland, such as the NHS. The document is also expected to include a pledge to back Labour's promise to reduce English tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000. Ahead of the manifesto launch, SNP Deputy Leader, Stewart Hosie said that the manifesto would "lay out incredibly clearly how we intend to see a genuine end to austerity", and would "try to bring progressive politics to the rest of the UK".
In Case You Missed It
Connect reviews the weekend’s developments
Prime Minister David Cameron has announced plans to sell off up to £4bn in Lloyds Bank shares to the public and small investors at below market price. The policy has drawn comparison with Thatcher’s sell off of the nationalised industries in the 1980s, particularly following the revival of her flagship Right to Buy policy last week. The Lib Dems have rejected the plans as poor value for the taxpayer and Labour has argued that the government made mistakes when they sold Royal Mail and this could happen again.
Labour leader, Ed Miliband has announced the party’s five-point plan on immigration in a speech on Merseyside. He unveiled a tough line on immigration, saying he would give the power to NHS regulators to ensure medical staff speak English, and would introduce a crackdown on the exploitation of migrant workers.
On the campaign trail, this week will see the return of former Conservative Prime Minister, Sir John Major, who will give a speech on the ‘danger’ of a Labour-SNP deal. Boris Johnson, who has been accused of being absent from the campaign trail so far, will play a more prominent role alongside David Cameron. Ed Miliband has made a pitch for the support of disaffected Tories in an interview with the Observer saying Labour is the party of “fiscal discipline”. Finally, officials at Buckingham Palace have allegedly warned that the Queen must not be dragged into political negotiations after the election, and neither leader should go to the Queen until they are sure they have the confidence of the House of Commons.
Constituency Overview: Key Seats to Watch – East Dunbartonshire
On the day of the SNP manifesto launch, Connect looks at a key constituency in Scotland
This Liberal Democrat seat was previously tipped to be a Labour gain in 2015, but the disintegration of the Labour vote in Scotland is proving a formidable challenge. An Ashcroft poll published on Friday has shown the SNP with an eleven point lead. Whether Jo Swinson, the popular Liberal Democrat who has represented the constituency from 2005 to 2015, can hold on may now be down to the success or otherwise of SNP candidate John Nicolson in overturning the incumbency factor on polling day. A Glasgow-based journalist, he has previously presented BBC Breakfast and ITV news, worked as a speech writer on Capitol Hill, and is a regular contributor to the ABC radio show The John Batchelor Show.
With the growing popularity of the SNP in the constituency, all three parties are now in with a shout of bringing home a victory in this rural commuter town. It will be an interesting seat to watch, especially considering Jo Swinson’s possible trajectory within the Liberal Democrats should she win again, having been tipped by some as a possible candidate for leadership.
Connect Communications 2015 General Election Winners and Losers Sweepstake
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