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Fri, 17 July 2026
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Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey

Forget 'landslide'. Here are some new electoral disaster metaphors
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
Forget 'landslide'. Here are some new electoral disaster metaphors
You can keep your comparisons with 1931, 1906 or 1832. Here we present the Cowley-Bailey Electoral Disaster Metaphor Scale.
Want a free car? Guess the election result correctly!
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
Want a free car? Guess the election result correctly!
Westminster reporters will almost certainly be competing among themselves to accurately predict Thursday's election result. But it wasn't long ago when newspapers invited readers to do so — and awarded big cash prizes, or even cars, to the winners.
Let's ask voters to write poems about our leaders
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
Let's ask voters to write poems about our leaders
At the 1950 general election Schweppes invited voters to submit poems about the politicians of the day. It was a triumph for democracy and PR.
We Brits have been betting on politics for well over 100 years
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
We Brits have been betting on politics for well over 100 years
It was nearly 25 years ago when Labour MP Frank Roy said he couldn't give up the money he made betting on the next House of Commons Speaker because his wife had spent it all. We're not sure that excuse will wash now.
This election is sorely lacking proper political adverts
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
This election is sorely lacking proper political adverts
Ed Davey has employed some unusual methods of drawing attention to his election campaign. He has not (yet), however, decided to endorse a range of of multi-vitamin tablets. 
Only one Jeremy Corbyn? A short history of political candidates sharing names
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
Only one Jeremy Corbyn? A short history of political candidates sharing names
The largely unknown constituencies of Feverford in Kent and Trough in Hertfordshire are linked by the fact that in the 1950s they were represented, simultaneously, by the same individual.
Constituency names are getting longer and frankly, more ridiculous
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
Constituency names are getting longer and frankly, more ridiculous
If we carry on like this, single-word seat names face extinction. But at least we did away with Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East.
When the nation's favourite TV and elections collide
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
When the nation's favourite TV and elections collide
Millions of voters nationwide will be glued to screens over the next few weeks as Euro 2024 gets underway. It is not uncommon for political parties to panic about the threat posed to their turnout by major TV events.
A history of fringe candidates
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
A history of fringe candidates
There will be a record number of candidates at this election. Many of them will be very serious. But not all.
A brief history of when canvassing goes right — and when it goes wrong
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
A brief history of when canvassing goes right — and when it goes wrong
Activists sometimes dread canvassing but at this general election we should learn to love it again. After all, we used to give trophies to the best door knockers.
TV debates are fairly new, but arguments about doing them are much older
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
TV debates are fairly new, but arguments about doing them are much older
Televised leaders debate are a relatively new phenomenon in British general elections. But if it wasn't for Margaret Thatcher, we could have had our first nearly 50 years ago.
There's a ropey election launch. Then there's Mr Charmbury's
Political parties
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
There's a ropey election launch. Then there's Mr Charmbury's
Neither Rishi Sunak nor Keir Starmer got their election campaigns off to perfect starts. But it could have been worse: they weren’t chased by police and put into an asylum.
There's little enthusiasm for Labour. Does it matter?
History
By Philip Cowley and Matthew Bailey
There's little enthusiasm for Labour. Does it matter?
People may dislike the Government but it is difficult to see how Labour win a landslide when there is such little enthusiasm for them as an alternative. Or is it?