Worrying Socialistic Tendencies

Despite aligning itself mistakenly with the Liberal Democrats during the General Election, the Guardian is still a paper I respect enormously, however recently bloggers on their site have embarked on a remarkable trail of collective socialism.

I can recall two instance in particular that were drawn to my attention:

1) Encouraging People to retire early or at 65 so as to allow the younger generation to takeover the jobs being vacated. This is to say the younger generation are capable of or are competent enough to fill vacancies.

2) Reducing the strain on the housing market, by encouraging widows or the elderly to move out of their large houses to allow younger people to move in, who may have greater need.

These policies are worryingly collectivist, and hark back to a time of idealistic socialism, a period which rightly belongs in the annals of history, I am in favour of free speech, however maybe the best solution would be to allow some unnamed bloggers to be quietly moved on and allow a younger generation to take over.

David Miliband for Next Labour Leader?

After a brief sojourn for exam revision this blog is back online!

Diane Abbott after the capitulation of McDonnell is the obvious candidate for the left of the party, but less obviously Ed Miliband has also begun shifting tetchily to the left with his somewhat belated rejection of the Invasion of Iraq and implementation of a return to and an embracing of traditional values within the party. This immediately raises the point did David Miliband endorse Abbotts candidacy so as to split the left vote, against his own brother!? Somewhat extreme as this may appear, this was certainly a very un-Blair like move. Tom Clark from the Guardian commented that this position would never have existed under Blair who famously moved to stop “Red Ken”. What’s immediately clear in my eyes is that David Miliband is playing a long game strategy, that is most un Blairite like, whether it is through a sense of fairness, the necessity of having a women as a candidate or an overwhelming desire to be leader at all costs (whether that cost be his brother or not) I am not sure only this summer can tell.

As a post note its worth mentioning I think that no leader of the opposition elected immediately after an election defeat has ever made it to Prime Minister in the post war period, an ominous omen if ever I saw one!

This weeks key issue

Greece's recent financial woes have provided a poignant distraction, from the election campaign over the last few days, despite Gordon Browns desperate attempt to steal the limelight. The general consensus is that Brown's gaffe may provide a turning point within this election, aiding the Tories in gaining a workable majority, however despite Murdoch et als best efforts (including the Sun's supposed £50k exclusive with the injured party), the PM's slip of the tongue should by rights take the back seat. Indeed this week is a pivotal week for the race to the finish post on May 6th, however I think Economics will play a far greater part in deciding the outcome than "Duffygate".

Confidence in Greece is at an all time low, and whilst I don't pretend to know a whole lot about economics, a great deal of the British Press have been purporting to scaremonger tactics (I think I read Acropolis Now somewhere) calling for people to vote Tory and give Cameron a workable majority, no surprises for guessing from which international news conglomerate these calls are coming. However for once the Right Wing press may have actually got it right in fanning the flames of fear, right now I encourage everybody to forget their misconceptions about Labour and Conservatives, and vote with their heads, the Liberal Democrats may one day govern this country well and with great prudence, however this election is not, and I believe cannot be about them, it is about safeguarding the future of this country, and for that we need both a workable majority and a party that has "been there and done that". Its a scary thought but right now I dream of the day that George Osbourne (or Alastair Darling for that matter) can sit in his office at the Treasury, red pen and P45s at the ready and help take this country forward unopposed.

Is it time to accept the Liberal Democrats as a credible political player?

Paul Merton on Have I got News for You last week jokingly described the Liberal Democrats as a party founded on the 6th April as a new option to Labour and Conservatives during the coming election. On one level people may just laugh at the Liberal Democrats expense, as similar to Gordon Browns perceived lack of charisma, Nick Cleggs party has for years been treated as political lightweights. This month we have seen a real change to the Liberal Democrats fortunes politically, the mere fact that they are been considered worthy of significant airtime suggests people are sitting up and taking notice.

The influence whether positive or negative of the debates on the outcome of the election, has only aided a liberal resurgence in Westminster the likes of which we haven't seen since the interwar period. The Liberal Democrats of Nick Clegg and Vince Cable is very different to that of Lloyd George and I am yet to be convinced that they can sustain this support especially with a debate on economics coming up, undoubtedly Cleggs weakest and Browns strongest area. I would not be surprised to see an element of "shy-labourism", with public sector workers who may have fashionably declared their support for the Liberal Democrats, switching to Labour in the comfort and safety (relative) of the polling booth.

Courtesy of Paul Waugh at The Standard

This was written by Paul Schneider in defercence to the debate last night.

These X-Factor Style Debate Results are Worryinlgy Influential

The results from the Polls last night read like this:

Populus - Clegg won
Clegg: 36%
Cameron: 27%
Brown: 27%

Guardian/ICM - Clegg won
Clegg: 33%
Cameron: 29%
Brown: 29%

ITV/ComRes - Clegg won
Clegg: 33%
Brown: 30%
Cameron: 30%

Angus Reid - Clegg won
Clegg: 35%
Cameron: 33%
Brown: 23%

YouGov - Cameron won
Cameron: 36%
Clegg: 32%
Brown: 29%

Overwhelmingly these results point to a win for Nick Clegg, in the second debate. However the fact that people are being polled on who won the debate, translates for many people as "I would vote for Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats at the General Election". In reality however the only place where the poll results should hold any credence is Sheffield Hallam Nick Clegg's constituency.

This series of debates is presidential both in form and in how the results are published, encouraging people to debate the three leaders personal qualities and speaking ability, rather than the policies of the prospective parties. People after watching this debate will go out on May 6th and vote for Cleggs skill as a speaker or Cameron's dissecting of Labours policies rather than their local Liberal Democrat, Conservative or Labour MP and how they can aid them personally within their constituency.

If come May the Liberal Democrats obtain some position within Whitehall, voters are going to wish they had supported plans to sack MPs, as potentially a fair number of below-par Liberal Democrat candidates may obtain seats on the back of their leaders speaking ability.

I don't mean to detract from instant polling which is brilliantly innovative, however I believe it confirms the political ignorance of much of the electorate who maybe happy to vote without truly understanding party policies far more than it predicts a potential electoral winner.

ComRes Instant Poll

Instant Poll will reveal further boost to Clegg. Cameron has had the most too lose in this debate and has certainly lost it, looking tired and unable to answer questions "off the cuff". YouGov Poll only over the internet so cannot accurately weight their results, I would place more faith in the ComRes poll on ITV at ten.

(nb. Polls are just predictions, too much weight has been put behind certain polls and their impact on the potential election result)