Twelve Predictions For 2012

Iain Dale looks back at his ten predictions for 2011 and makes his 12 predictions for 2012.

28 Dec 2011, 09:26

1045_large Mystic Dale predicts 2012
OK, here's the ten predictions I made last New Year's Eve in my Eastern Daily Press column. Let's see how many I got right...
 
  1. Norwich City make the play-offs but fail to win promotion WRONG
  2. Norman Lamb becomes a Minister in a government reshuffle WRONG
  3. Several Norfolk councils enter talks to combine back office functions RIGHT
  4. The British people say no to AV – as does Norfolk RIGHT
  5. Two Norfolk MPs become government ministers RIGHT
  6. A Norfolk person wins a reality TV show WRONG (I THINK!)
  7. Nick Clegg survives a LibDem leadership coup WRONG
  8. David Laws wins back a Cabinet place WRONG
  9. Labour stage a massive comeback in the 2011 Norfolk council elections WRONG
  10. Bruce Forsyth finally gets a knighthood RIGHT

So, not a very good performance. In 2010 I got 7 out of 10 right. Let's see if I can do better this year...

1. Boris Johnson will win the London mayoral election

2. Vince Cable will leave the Cabinet

3. At least one country will leave the euro

4. Simon Cowell returns to the X Factor and invites Cheryl Cole to join him

5. West Ham will be promoted

6. Sarkozy loses the French presidency

7. Obama beats Romney to win a second term

8. John Humphrys leaves the Today Programme

9. The Independent becomes Britain's first free national newspaper

10. England fail to proceed beyond the group stages at Euro 2012

11. Sam Allardyce succeeds Fabio Capello as England manager

12. Britain wins fewer gold medals at the Olympics than it did in Beijing

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Not a prediction a certainty. This blog continues to get Scotland and its politics totally wrong. Still fun to read despite that, but perhaps resolve to cast your net a little wider next year Iain?

28/12/2011 09:54
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I know nothing about football or X-factor (and have no desire to learn).
I would agree on all the rest except for number 2. I have my doubts whether Cameron would risk kicking him out, and it seems unlikely that any LibDem would leave of his own account.

29/12/2011 20:12
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Indeed EP. A more likely, but less controversial prediction would be Vince leaking that he is considering leaving the cabinet at several points in the year but still being there in 12 months time.

31/12/2011 05:00
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'Obama beats Romney'.
You are brave in sticking your neck out on this one even before the first caucus/primary takes place.

01/01/2012 22:24
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If Allardyce gets the England job, 'will the last person left in the country please' etc

03/01/2012 13:12

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Iain Dale

Iain Dale is publisher of Total Politics, MD of Biteback Publishing & presenter of LBC's evening show.

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