Alex Smith

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 With a swing of 16.5%, Chloe Smith overturned a Labour majority of 5,000+ to gain and a new Tory majority of over 7,000 in Norwich North, a so-called Labour "safe seat" in recent history. Excuses will no doubt…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 UPDATE: FULL RESULTS Conservatives: 13,591 Labour: 6,243 Lib Dems: 4,803 UKIP: 4,068 Greens: 3,350 Turnout: 45.88% 16.5% swing from Labour to Conservative REACTION: An unnamed cabinet minister says Labour is…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 This week's Private Eye tells the story of some untoward goings on in Tory-run Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) council. It seems that John Everitt, chief executive of the council, quickly prompted party…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 The Bromsgrove Advertiser is reporting that Julie Kirkbride, the Tory MP who announced she would step down at the next election following revelations over her expenses, is reconsidering her decision. The Daily…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 This morning's New Statesman says that Tory leader David Cameron and his Mayor of London Boris Johnson are at "breaking point, with new and potentially damaging divisions over the mayor's plans for London."…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 Throughout the day, I'll be reporting snippets from the doorstep in Norwich North, and trying to get a sense of what's happening in today's by-election. 10:30pm: Sue Whittaker, former group leader for Labour…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 In this video, Gordon Brown talks about marching towards a global society, and about setting up national and global institutions to tackle poverty, climate change and issues of devlopment around the world…

Tony Wright is the Labour MP for Cannock Chase and is currently heading up the Commission on Parliamentary Reform. He met Alex Smith in his office at Portcullis House on Wednesday, 15th July, 2009. You're heading up the commission for…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 After the James Purnell webchat on LabourList this morning, I went over to the Open Left website and filled in my own reasons for why I'm on the left. Here are my answers: What is it about your political…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 Launching tonight at the Commonwealth Club in London, Open Left is Demos' new three-year study designed to rediscover the Left's idealism, pluralism and appetite for radical ideas. It starts by asking an…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 Damian McBride has reared his ugly head again today, with an interview with the Guardian and another with Radio 5. I don't want to dwell on his nauseating return to the headlines, but I will say that I - and…

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 Enjoying a new found freedom from the red box, James Purnell is not interested in the leadership of the Labour Party. His interview with the Guardian this morning reveals a relaxed, refreshed man liberated…