Sorry, but plenty of (most?) people are pretty bad at assessing honesty. If that weren't the case, both the stats for fraud and the results of elections would look very different. (OK, I'm … (View Post)

Things that people don't like: a three part tragedy 1) being told that they can't have what they want, because it will have negative consequences 2) the negative consequences of being given… (View Post)

Think of it this way. You are a Labour politician/SPAD wanting to run something up the flagpole to see who salutes. Do you leak stuff to a paper, like the Mail/Telegraph, that actively hates you? (View Post)

Besides, there is a bit of an elephant in the room here. People can, and do, vote to make themselves poorer. Particularly if they are comfortable themselves, other things become more important. Like … (View Post)

That's the trouble with getting St Augustine to write your fiscal rule- make me properly prudent, but not yet. But as long as the Will Of The People is dead set against increases in headline tax… (View Post)