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Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Five predictions for 2014

(1) Labour to win the European Elections with UKIP second the Tories third, the Greens fourth and the Lib Dems fifth. Although the BNP will be sixth Nick Griffin will lose his seat. Nationalists in Wales & Scotland will come under pressure if Labour do very well. In the local elections, Labour, Greens & UKIP will increase number of seats the Tories and the Lib Dems will take another pasting - its what happens to government parties. 

(2) All five party leaders will be in place this time next year. Cameron will come under pressure after finishing behind UKIP in the European elections poll but suspect the Tories wont rip themselves to pieces less than a year before a general election. Miliband will face continued pressure over the unpublished Falkirk report also has a problem with his Trade Union funding reforms. Nick Clegg is the safest of the main three party leaders after seeing off Vince Cable at the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow this year. If the Greens do finish higher than the Liberal Democrats in the European Elections Natalie Bennett will of had a good year, the Greens will also increase their number of councillors. Nigel Farage is safe due to the fact there is nobody who can really take his place although his main goal will be to win the European elections and "cause an earthquake in British politics" if that doesn't happen he'll lose a lot of credibility. 

(3) Despite the popularity of Alex Salmond and the SNP in Holyrood the referendum will be lost and Scotland will remain a member of the United Kingdom. Talking of referendums the Lords will throw the EU referendum bill out and contray to the Prime Minister's comments that the "Parliament Act would be used", even if the Lib Dems agreed to that which they wouldn't, the Act can not be used for private bills - which is what the EU Referendum Bill is.

(4) following the Local/Euro elections there will be a major government reshuffle with around 10 cabinet ministers sacked, if this years reshuffle is anything to go by then Nick Clegg may well be completely ruthless and sack Vince Cable as Business Secretary. Danny Alexander should be safe as Chief Sec to the Treasury. Tories likely to be on the way out: Iain Duncan Smith, Jeremy Hunt, Sir George Young, Justine Greening, Owen Paterson, David Jones and Francis Maude. Both Cameron and Clegg will be appointing more women, expect Jo Swinson to be the next Business Secretary.

(5) Tim Farron to be elected as Lib Dem Deputy Leader, following Simon Hughes' resignation following his appointment as a Minister.