It's The Economy Stup"e D"s!

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/14/2015-uk-general-election-polls-analysis
Even the Guardian is reporting the latest fallout from the EDs economy performance of late. Should they stick to a subject they are better at?

[youngmafbog]

I have always been surprised at Milliband keeping Balls. Balls is from the last administration that bankrupted the country (and even left a note to say so).

Balls is a liability as well as being a nasty big bully. If Milliband replaces him I think labours credibility would rise quite dramatically.

Of course as a Tory I shoudl be pleased I suppose!

[Quizmonster]

I know I've posted this for your very own benefit in the past, YMB, so I'm probably wasting my time yet again, but here goes...
As regards "notes left to say so", the following were the words of Reginald Maudling, the departing TORY chancellor in 1964, in a note to his Labour successor...

"Good luck, old cock.... Sorry to leave it in such a mess."

So the near-identical Labour comment you draw attention to once more from the time of the 2010 election was merely a copy of that. I find the Labour note rather more polite than the Tory one!

[jake-the-peg]

I'd be cautious about this recovery.

Mark Carney has already warned that this is being driven by an increase in house prices

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/29/uk-britain-carney-idUKBRE99S18720131029

And that's predominantly in the South East and is being driven by the 'help to buy scheme'

Industrial output is still missing targets

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25681559

And our balance of payments defecits is in the worst shape since 1989

http://www.fundweb.co.uk/news-and-analysis/economy/black-clouds-hover-over-uks-balance-of-payments/2005091.article

But most importantly from a political perspective, most people have are poorer than they were, wage rises are only just getting back to inflation and most people outside the South East are feeling hard done by.

Normally winning the Tory heartlands and a few marginals would win the Tories an election but with UKIP splitting their vote and most disaffected Liberals voting Labour that's probably not going to do it this time.

we're still currently looking at a 76 seat Labour majority.

You can see what's happening here

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/voting-intention-2

Look at the left of the chart - as the Liberal support collapsed, Labour grew and it's more or less flattened out


That's what Cameron has to - reverse that trend - He needs to get disaffected Liberals back voting for Clegg

[ludwig]

It must be painful for Labour and their supporters to see the economy improving, but they shouldn't be upset and try to talk it back down again.
History shows that when times are good, people feel more confident, and are more likely to vote for change.

[youngmafbog]

Quiz, the original post is about Ed Balls. I was simply highlighting the point he was in the previous administration that collapsed the UK through overspending. I used the note as evidence they knew it. It has no relevance to Tory notes or any other notes.

Of course you are free to twist it from the real reason I guess.

[emmie]

you should have watched Paxman put the questions on the growth in the economy to Ed Balls on newsnight, he wouldn't, couldn't get the words out to say that there has been some good news for a change, nor could he answer how they will improve on things once in power, Paxman was his usual disdainful self - at least Mr Balls didn't go apoplectic this time as he often does, especially in the House

[LazyGun]

An economic recovery - even a hesitant, long heralded,stuttering, slow to arrive economic recovery that we are currently experiencing - will benefit the perceived popularity of the incumbent government.

The economy moves in cycles - hang on long enough, and you may the the fortunate recipient of an upturn in economic activity, almost inevitable following a contraction.

What should be at issue is whether the policies and ideologies of the government were effective at inducing that recovery, and whether they did the best they could to shield the majority of its population from the impact of the economic downturn, and here there is plenty of meat for both sides to argue. And of course whether ideology and proposed policies going forward offer the best prospects for the majority of the population.

And of course, with economics, there is no way you can "run it differently" to see what an alternative policy might have wrought, which is it such a ripe topic for endless speculation ;)

The next general election will be close. Smart money suggests another coalition.

[Ken4155]

Despite the recovery, according to a poll conducted by ITV, 61% of us believe that it benefits none but the richest. Another coalition government looks a nailed on cert.

[emmie]

there is no such thing as a cert, nailed on or otherwise. Coalition between who exactly, the Tory/Lib Dem hasn't worked, Labour/Lib Dem, will that be any better, i don't see any of the parties carrying the day on their own...

[Ken4155]

Emmie; the question you ought to be asking is, do the electorate trust any one of the main parties to govern. My guess is no, we don't. And, being a gambling man, come the election i would expect to see the prospects of another coalition as odds-on fav.

[emmie]

you may be right, the Labour bods are coming up with all sorts to garner votes, not sure what the Tory/Lib dems will need to do, for what it's worth i wouldn't vote Labour, i don't believe in Balls, Milliband, and actively despised Blair, Brown

[LazyGun]

@ emmie "i wouldn't vote Labour, i don't believe in Balls, Milliband, and actively despised Blair, Brown"

Well I never! I would never have guessed! ;)

[emmie]

i have never made a secret of that fact. I don't hate our politicians, i just don't like them, not any of them. Very few these days have the cojones to make things better for the populace, as opposed to just lining their pockets, as in the expenses scandal, and the fact that many get paid to do very little.
or that is how it seems to me.

[Quizmonster]

YMB, you refer to (quote) "the previous administration that collapsed the UK through overspending."
So, you're still refusing to believe that in 2008 there was a GLOBAL financial meltdown and that national and international "CASINO BANKERS" were amongst the leading causes of that meltdown. I imagine you are also unaware - or more likely choose to ignore - the fact that such bankers here are major contributors to Tory Party funds.

[emmie]

inset Gordon Browns remarks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang_%28financial_markets%29

[Quizmonster]

Early in your link, Emmie, it says, “Thatcher’s government claimed that the two problems behind the decline of London banking were overregulation and the dominance of elitist old boy networks.” In other words, Tories were just as much in favour of light regulation as Labour were!
Gordon Brown did say in the inset that his government had made a mistake but added that, “It was a mistake made by just about everybody." It seems pretty clear to me or anyone else rational that - had the Tories been in power - they'd be the ones YMB and his ilk would be claiming had "collapsed the UK"!

[emmie]

QM i know what it says as i read it through, Labour were as much at fault as anyone, but their supporters seem not to think so, ever

[mikey4444]

The American sub-prime market collapse wasn't caused because Labour employed more Nurses and Policemen. Of course the administration at the time must share some of the blame but not all of it. It was an international crisis, mostly caused by greed and stupidity in the banking sector.

[emmie]

and Labour were squarely in the middle of it, whilst it was all swirling around, weren't they?>

[mikey4444]

Read my latest post...I have admitted that Labour had its part to play. This is in reply to your musings that "their supporters seem not to think so, ever"

I am pointing out that its was a very complicated affair, and there were others at fault as well, not least those in the States. But to read some of the anti-Labour comments on here, you might be forgiven for thinking that it was 100% Gordon Browns fault, which just wasn't the case.