Reply to: What are Tories not doing right?

[Platypus]

It's a good question.

<snip>

So really, to summarise: it's a total disinterest, expecting the state to absolve our responsibilities, a resentment of an unaccountable political elite and the helpless feeling that there isn't a suitable alternative, the self-flagellation of well-off champagne socialist's guilt, the partisanship of deluded voters "My grandaddy voted for x, ma daddy voted for x, so I'm voting for x", and public sector turkeys not voting for christmas...

Good post.

[BlasterBates]

They didn't do themselves any favours by mixing with some rather unsavoury types in the European parliament. Whatever Labour may have done no-one wants to be governed by a bunch of loonies. John Major was centre ground.

[AtW]

And sticking to the previous government's spending plans for the first two years.

Indeed - so they spent as much as planned before AND got extra tax revenues by robbing pension funds: all taken together has lead to a nice budget surplus.

[Gonzo]

Surely taxing of pension funds that Brown Stuff did first thing in the office helped that budget surplus a tad?

And sticking to the previous government's spending plans for the first two years.

[AtW]

True. The surplus was in 1998/9 (hardly something that Labour can take credit for), and went into deficit shortly after.

Surely taxing of pension funds that Brown Stuff did first thing in the office helped that budget surplus a tad?

[HairyArsedBloke]

There wasn't a surplas [sic] in 1997. Labour inherited a deficit - look it up.

True. The surplus was in 1998/9 (hardly something that Labour can take credit for), and went into deficit shortly after.

[Bagpuss]

I tend to agree, apart from the bit about sadism.

I blame it on the government

[Doggy Styles]

I tend to agree, apart from the bit about sadism.

[Doggy Styles]

True, but they seemed to have given up trying.

There is a case for saying that they are keeping their powder dry.

Attack too soon and it will blow over by the election.

But attacking in the weeks and days leading up to the election maximises the effect on voter intentions.

Just guessing, like.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

People are sick of a two party dictatorship, where nothing much changes. Politicians will behave discracefully, power will corrupt, the economy will go from boom to bust, the same civil servants will continue to run things behind the scenes.

It's like a pathetic soap opera, and the sadist thing is some people fall for it and actually believe in the system. When the fact is nothing significant ever changes from within the system, change always comes from outside of the political process.

I tend to agree, apart from the bit about sadism.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

But they were kicked out over their mistakes in the 92 recession (which was nowhere near as bad as this one) and the scandals of the mid 90's. And I think it was quite right they were punished for those mistakes, even though they had actually turned things around the economy was doing pretty well in 97 - we had a budget surplass

So given that things are twice as bad now and we are still in recession (which might technically change shortly - although the perception still won't change), why are things still close.

There wasn't a surplas [sic] in 1997. Labour inherited a deficit - look it up.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Hasn't Simon Cowell made a threat to enter politics?

Cameron is going to make him a Lord and then minister for culture.

[BrilloPad]

When the fact is nothing significant ever changes from within the system, change always comes from outside of the political process.

Hasn't Simon Cowell made a threat to enter politics?

[Bagpuss]

People are sick of a two party dictatorship, where nothing much changes. Politicians will behave discracefully, power will corrupt, the economy will go from boom to bust, the same civil servants will continue to run things behind the scenes.

It's like a pathetic soap opera, and the sadist thing is some people fall for it and actually believe in the system. When the fact is nothing significant ever changes from within the system, change always comes from outside of the political process.

[TykeMerc]

<pedantic>
Charles II dissolved Parliament and ruled alone until his death (in bed) several years later in 1685.
</pedantic>

I stand corrected.