I doubt I'm wrong on this BrianSJ. I said 99.9% of elected Conservatives. More than 99% of elected Conservatives are county or district councillors who don't have the chance to scam their expenses like this. The point I'm making is that the Tory party is much bigger than its MPs and that 99.9% of people who have stood and got elected as Conservatives have not scammed their expenses.

I agree with Tim. The Tory party is more than its MPs, and bigger than its MPs. 99.9% of elected Conservatives do not have their snouts in the trough. Do not punish them. Punish the 0.1%: deselect them now, cancel their membership now. But voting for a party in UKIP whose expenses scandals are every bit as bad as the Tories? That doesn't make sense. It's saying "Tory MPs? You've been appalling on expenses and we want to punish you by voting in European elections which are nothing to do with Westminster for a party that is ....er... just as bad on expenses."

Most potent: 1) English votes on English matters, 2) referendum on Lisbon Treaty Most transformational: 1) elected police chiefs, 2) power to parents to set up schools But really what's missing is not a policy but a summary of policies (like Lorraine's leaflet only national and with broader policy themese. It's the equivalent of Blair's pledge card but with some more concrete if broad policy commitments: top 5 to 10 that people will remember.

Could ConservativeHome do us all a great service by contacting Judith Symes and inviting her to comment further on her wise words about her Dear Leader?

Blimey. Is -8% the biggest ever drop for a party from one poll to the next?

You know, I wonder if this will make people more polite? It's a bit shocking to click on my comment photo and find my face staring at me. I sort of feel that if I can put a face to a name I have to be more polite somehow? Know what I mean? I could ditch the photo...oh I don't know.

Foot? yes principled, yes intellectual (rather than intelligent), yes resilient...but surely ever so slightly barking, in a nice way? His manifesto would have destroyed this country after all...

Shame this polling has been before Alice Mahon's resignation from the party today. I suspect an old faithful from the heart of Labour territory resigning from the party will have more resonance amongst the Labour party than shenanigans at 10 Downing Street. The Labour party is the most tribal of all parties: it doesn't matter about sleaze, but when the tribe breaks apart...

Is this me?