For those who think we learnt nothing from the TV debating exercise, I disagree. Rather like SuBo, Nick Clegg lost momentum in the final hour. He really isn’t as good as people thought he was. He looked flustered and at times resorted to an amateur dramatic lilt as seen at a minor public school end of term production. When there is apathy, a new face can have a dramatic effect. When new isn’t new anymore, fantasy reverts to reality.
Gordon Brown was just awful. To be fair, he’s consistent. He’s always been awful and if nothing else we were able to see for ourselves just how bad he’s been as chancellor and then prime minister. Same old lines and same old denial that any of the mess we are in could possibly have anything to do with his stewardship. He even stood on tiptoes.
As for David Cameron, finally a performance that could be considered Prime Ministerial. It wasn’t blockbusting or inspirational, yet he doesn’t shy away from the fact that the most important thing this nation needs to do is to encourage growth through the private sector and cut. Cut waste and expenditure now before the UK has the opportunity to do a Greece.
Nick Clegg’s bubble has finally burst. The Lib Dem policies were exposed to scrutiny. After all it’s the policies that are the most critical aspect for your analysis. His immigration amnesty was rubbished, his stance on the Euro shown to be wrong and his lack of understanding of banks and bankers perhaps the most worrying. I know people are cross at banks and bankers. Reform is required. The fact that none of the parties have identified what really needs to be done is as sad as it is telling.
Whilst David and Gordon recognise the need to keep our banks in the UK, Nick’s policies will simply mean that banks and bankers leave the country. The result would be no tax from their profits and none of their income tax and none of their expenditure either. In fact when questioned on the banks, he simply answered in fantasy words and phrases that didn’t add up.
Apart from suggesting that bosses are given club memberships instead of cash bonuses. Where did that come from? The school of MP’s expenses? Gordon Brown was resolute that we need to keeps banks here and their jobs and tax revenue too. He’s right on that. Like it or not, the UK’s future recovery rests on the shoulders of our service industries.
Yet David Cameron has been swayed by public opinion. His ability to fall into the trap of calling bankers and banking activities “casino banking” is as naïve as it is stupid. As we know (after the Blair experience) the public isn’t always right.
When it comes to putting your “X” in the box next Thursday you need to think carefully. If you have a small business or work for any sized business it’s you who is going to help get us out of the political and economic mess. It was curious how much time was devoted to talking about benefits. Clearly we are a nation that relies upon the state to far too much.
If there is anything to learn from all of this then we need to be clearer about who really contributes to the country. Who needs benefits rather than who wants them and whether we can afford to continue in the way in which we have become accustomed.
So the Badometer. How’s it doing? Well I knew I should not have started with the Lib Dems on -10 with that being the worst possible score. Nick Clegg is the worst for business and for this country. Gordon Brown is worn out and simply cannot stop his desire to spend his way out of recession. so Brown’s at -7. And following his performance, I think David Cameron rises a point, so Cameron is at – 2.
In essence I don’t think any of the parties have been honest with us about the spending cuts and tax rises that are on the way. As someone who works and pays tax I don’t wish to pay even more tax BEFORE cuts are made to public spending. When you go shopping, if you can’t afford it. You don’t buy it. That really should apply to government as well.
