I have long thought that voters would like a "more of the same" option re. the coalition. Meanwhile, I'm not sure LD-ers will be so willing to hand back their influence.
But.
It would be a failure of nerve and belief if DC were to start out now with plans for or let it be known he would like another coalition. It would also be electorally damaging.
Put aside the noise of gay marriage, immigration, etc right-wing dog whistles and controversies. The "rank and file" Tories would like a bog-standard Tory government. The hope is that inside DC's velvet glove there is an iron fist. Not a bowl of blancmange.
If it is at all intimated that DC doesn't want to fight all out for a Tory govt it will send UKIP into the stratosphere.
I don't really see the merit in trying to relate how confidence in the management of the economy by parties in 1997 could reflect in an election in 2015.
In 1997 the economy was generally trundling along nicely and as was to become clear the outgoing Tory govt left labour a golden chalice - what they did with this is another story.
When people looked at labour they no longer saw the old style labour who many still had memory of and their less than stellar management of the nation's finances and so this probably countered any worries on this issue. Blair and brown looked like they had moved away from socialism towards a centrist approach.
Therefore the issue about who to vote for was down to what might be considered a more "human" instinct. They looked at the shiny new media friendly and modern young Labour Party who were no longer advocating clause 4 etc but instead were offering the nation free popstars and glitzy celebrtiies. There was a completely fresh new way for the country to be run.
Voters then looked at the Tories who had been in power for 18 years and were generally older grey men with a catalogue of scandals behind the party (compared to more modern scandals they look quite quaint and innocent) and the contrast was massive.
It was therefore obvious to many at the time that the New Labour lot were not going to destroy the good things but would be much nicer people to run the country and were cooler and had estuary accents....
This time around I expect that the economy will be recovering but not out of the woods and so people with memories of labour's involvement in the downturn will be less willing to give them a chance to knock it off target. People will not quite yet be sick and bored of the incumbents as they were in 1997 and the opposition will not be distinct enough, will not offer an exciting new era or have any strong enough policy ideas to convince people to put economic considerations after other more human matters.
the evidence from recent weeks is not only that an economic recovery is here, but that it is gathering pace. If this proves to be sustained into 2014, it could have profound and far-reaching consequences for us all.
Almost every number you can imagine is suddenly pointing in the right direction. House prices are rising in all regions of the country,
Whether inflation is good news might depend on whether you are a would-be first time buyer or not.
Hear hear.
Actually the only people who benefit from house price inflation are those who are trading down. Everyone else* loses.
* ref: principle private residences, not investors
The kind of complete ignorant bullshit that could only be posted by an ancestral property-owner, inheriting his ever-greater wealth, even as his achievements and IQ revert to the mean (as mathematics provides).
If you are a first-time or second generation property owner, the idea that your HOUSE is increasing in value by thousands of pounds a year, without you having to do anything, is enormously satisfying, indeed stimulating, and gives you the confidence to go out and make further purchases/investments/loans, thus fuelling the national economy as a whole.
Thatcher entirely and completely understood this, dismal posh mediocre low-watt IQ Tories do not.
Spot on Sean.
I have no doubt the economy has now turned and with house prices starting to increase it is going to look very very good for the Conservatives. They will go with the mantra that won them the elections from 1979 onwards: 'look it was tough, but see we pulled you through'.
Get your money on the Cons to win outright.
House prices are only rising in London, typical short sighted London Tories viewpoint, out of touch with the real world and then get shocked when their dimwitted rich twits get pasted at elections.
Comments
What has happened to the Balcombe protesters - gone home to Mummy?
But.
It would be a failure of nerve and belief if DC were to start out now with plans for or let it be known he would like another coalition. It would also be electorally damaging.
Put aside the noise of gay marriage, immigration, etc right-wing dog whistles and controversies. The "rank and file" Tories would like a bog-standard Tory government. The hope is that inside DC's velvet glove there is an iron fist. Not a bowl of blancmange.
If it is at all intimated that DC doesn't want to fight all out for a Tory govt it will send UKIP into the stratosphere.
In 1997 the economy was generally trundling along nicely and as was to become clear the outgoing Tory govt left labour a golden chalice - what they did with this is another story.
When people looked at labour they no longer saw the old style labour who many still had memory of and their less than stellar management of the nation's finances and so this probably countered any worries on this issue. Blair and brown looked like they had moved away from socialism towards a centrist approach.
Therefore the issue about who to vote for was down to what might be considered a more "human" instinct. They looked at the shiny new media friendly and modern young Labour Party who were no longer advocating clause 4 etc but instead were offering the nation free popstars and glitzy celebrtiies. There was a completely fresh new way for the country to be run.
Voters then looked at the Tories who had been in power for 18 years and were generally older grey men with a catalogue of scandals behind the party (compared to more modern scandals they look quite quaint and innocent) and the contrast was massive.
It was therefore obvious to many at the time that the New Labour lot were not going to destroy the good things but would be much nicer people to run the country and were cooler and had estuary accents....
This time around I expect that the economy will be recovering but not out of the woods and so people with memories of labour's involvement in the downturn will be less willing to give them a chance to knock it off target. People will not quite yet be sick and bored of the incumbents as they were in 1997 and the opposition will not be distinct enough, will not offer an exciting new era or have any strong enough policy ideas to convince people to put economic considerations after other more human matters.
And ed miliband is no tony Blair.....