General Election 2015

[Machiavelli]

If Milliband's speech today is anything to go by, he's getting nowhere near Downing Street anytime soon

This is only your view (although there are a fair few on here, including those in high places, that won't disagree with it). I'm of the view that Osborne's economic credibility will deteriorate and Labour's will rise. They've actually identified a fairly clear message, and a point of charge with the Tories, especially focusing on a return to the 1930s -- known to historians as 'the devil's decade'.

 

[Common as Mook]

This is only your view (although there are a fair few on here, including those in high places, that won't disagree with it). I'm of the view that Osborne's economic credibility will deteriorate and Labour's will rise. They've actually identified a fairly clear message, and a point of charge with the Tories, especially focusing on a return to the 1930s -- known to historians as 'the devil's decade'.

My POV is purely from the left reaction so far today. Nothing to do with the Tories. That shambles of a woman Diane Abbott has already kicked off about it.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

If Milliband's speech today is anything to go by, he's getting nowhere near Downing Street anytime soon

I would agree. For someone aiming to be the next PM you'd think he could start to supply some detail on what they plan to do differently to the Tories. More importantly how. So far we have tinkering - mansion tax, scrapping winter fuel allowance for rich pensioners, £500m of local gov savings and a cap on child benefit increases - an absolute drop in the ocean compared to the problem at hand. The Labour rep on QT last week was repeatedly asked where Labour would cut and they dodged the question every time.

Agreed the Tories haven't given the detail of where further cuts will come from either but they've not suggested they will try and make 'sensible' cuts so it will be more of the same with the NHS and education thrown into the ring as well in all likelihood.

 

[beorhthelm]

one can only surmise from Miliband is that Labour will continue the same policies as the Tories (just with new names) or will be hopeless lost economically within a couple of years. you simply cant keep to minimal cuts and balance the budget within the next 5 years, as he claims. unless we suddenly had astonishing growth, which would mean we just kick the deficit further down the road until the next economic crisis hits. this government thought it could sit back and let the economy ease the budget, didnt happen. there's nothing on the horizon to suggest it will work for Labour either.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Labour is an economic shambles. Exchange on 5Live this morning:

<Nicky Campbell> "The budget deficit is £90 billion. So cutbacks - give me a big ticket item where you'll make a substantial saving".
<Ed Balls> "We'll cap the rise in child benefit in the next parliament to 1% per annum."
<Nicky Campbell> "How much will that save?"
<Ed Balls> "£400 million over 5 years".

 

[Pavilionaire]

This is only your view (although there are a fair few on here, including those in high places, that won't disagree with it). I'm of the view that Osborne's economic credibility will deteriorate and Labour's will rise. They've actually identified a fairly clear message, and a point of charge with the Tories, especially focusing on a return to the 1930s -- known to historians as 'the devil's decade'.

Labour keep banging on about "the living wage" as though employers have a secret stash of cash they've been keeping back for themselves. I'd wager very few employers have got such as stash of cash, and those that have are probably saving it for the following higher costs that WILL be incurred - guaranteed - over the next 2-3 years:

1. Higher interest rates on borrowing.
2. Compulsory employer pension contributions under Auto-enrolment.
3. Having to pay employees more to compensate for the compulsory EMPLOYEE pension contributions they too will have to make under Auto-enrolment.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

revert to borrowing as much as they can.

Please remind me how much cash Osborne has borrowed.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You been on the silly pills today?

Makes me laugh how you can still think Milliband could do a decent job, bet you still want Hyypia to stay.

Misguided maybe, stupid no

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Labour is an economic shambles. Exchange on 5Live this morning:

<Nicky Campbell> "The budget deficit is £90 billion. So cutbacks - give me a big ticket item where you'll make a substantial saving".
<Ed Balls> "We'll cap the rise in child benefit in the next parliament to 1% per annum."
<Nicky Campbell> "How much will that save?"
<Ed Balls> "£400 million over 5 years".

Balls isn't going to let the cat out of the bag on raising the middle/higher rates of income tax from 40%/45% to 45%/50% this early in the campaign

 

[jimbob5]

Weather you like the Eds, or fink Die Anne Abbott has out to do wit de price of fish etc is irreverent. Ish gonna be down to where the lost Lib Dem votes go and who loses the mosht to the UKulele party in de margarine seats init.

 

[beorhthelm]

Balls isn't going to let the cat out of the bag on raising the middle/higher rates of income tax from 40%/45% to 45%/50% this early in the campaign

which would raise about £5bn. next?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

which would raise about £5bn. next?

If I had anything to do with it I would slash the Foreign Aid budget by 75% , how much does that save over the lifetime of a Parliament ? £35bn ?

 

[jimbob5]

If I had anything to do with it I would slash the Foreign Aid budget by 75% , how much does that save over the lifetime of a Parliament ? £35bn ?

oooooh! you're SOoo butch!!

 

[Seagull on the wing]

If I had anything to do with it I would slash the Foreign Aid budget by 75% , how much does that save over the lifetime of a Parliament ? £35bn ?

.
Have to agree with you on that...want foreign aid to work...do not give these nations any cash...send out a work force from the UK..paid for by the UK and build their hospitals/schools and infrastucture...that way the local people get the benefit and the money is not buying a dictator a new airplane and arms.
As regards taxing the rich...(where already 1% pay 29% of the tax)..yeah that really works does'nt it...that's why the super rich left Socialist France and left for the UK and set up their businesses here...France loss our gain.

 

[beorhthelm]

If I had anything to do with it I would slash the Foreign Aid budget by 75%

thats another £8bn. making progress but theres still a £77bn deficit to fund. and please, dont start on "over the life time of the parliament" nonsence, thats just a way to make small changes look grander than they are. the yearly deficit should be the focus, not 5 year projections. thats how we've ended up here, borrowing over the economic cycle as Brown used to put it.

 

[crookie]

We're totally screwed, but the public, much as they might claim otherwise don't want to face up to the truth. To balance the books, swinging cuts in public spending will be required, across all departments, including Health, Education and Foreign Aid. This is obvious as we can see where the recent economic growth and big drops in unemployment have left us econmically, in no better shape. The deficit has not come down despite several hundred thousand jobs being created. This must be because they are PT, low paid on the whole, or people starting their own businesses. If they were decent, tax contributing jobs, the deficit would be falling.

Stopping pensioner's bus passes, TV licenses, heating allowance, freezing child benefit, mansion tax, will contribute next to nothing to reduce a £90bn deficit. I believe Osborne is deluded if he believes the deficit will drop conveniently into surplus over the next 5 years. We either need to accept big tax rises for everyone or accept that as a nation we cannot afford the state to be spending as much as it does, as we as a nation are unwilling to fund it. We are happy for other to do so, bankers, big business, benefit claiments, multinational tax-dodging companies, high earners etc but not that keen to pay for it ourselves

 

[Titanic]

Lastest polls: Populus – CON 33%, LAB 36%, LDEM 8%, UKIP 15%, GRN 4%

Latest @PopulusPolls Westminster VI: Lab 35 (-1), Con 34 (+1), LD 9 (+1), UKIP 14 (-1), Oth 7 (-1). Tables here: popu.lu/s_vi141212

 

[Triggaaar]

What a collection of dislikeable politicians we have to choose from. But I don't need to like them, I just want them to fix our economy, and start paying off our debt. Which party are going to run out economy the best is all (ok, not all) I care about.

 

[jimbob5]

What a collection of dislikeable politicians we have to choose from. But I don't need to like them, I just want them to fix our economy, and start paying off our debt. Which party are going to run out economy the best is all (ok, not all) I care about.

I think Boy George will prove to be the slim, public school version of Gordon Brown in a few years if as I expect the Tories get in with a slim majority, maybe propped up by the slimmed down Lib Dems and Ulster Unionists as we try to spend our way out of a recession albeit not in a smart way Labour did in the late 40s.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Latest poll predicts HUGE Labour majority
National opinion (Populus):
LAB-37%
CON-32%
UKIP-14%
LDEM-9%

Down to 1 point now then...interesting that they have been 3 ahead since this one when others have said 1 or level. Their polling is all done online does this pick up all age groups satisfactorily or why else do they favour Red over Blue more than all the others?