... has the country changed its collective mind suddenly?
For the last ten years, politics has been just one of those subjects that we don't discuss. After all, for everyone who thought that New Labour were a bunch of deceptive money-grabbing empire-building tax-and-spenders, there would be a few people who thought they were just "misunderstood" and that if we only gave them one more chance, they might actually start running the country competently. Such as actually helping the poor, for example, rather than just manipulating the numbers to make it look like they were. So then you would get into an argument with these people, which is all very un-English and to be avoided. So over the last ten years, I've learnt to bite my lip when outside my own home, and not mention politics.
But suddenly, the subject seems to have become "allowed" again. People bring it up voluntarily. It doesn't even prompt an argument any more, and for a simple reason - no-one seems willing to stand up for Gordon. We all just stand around agreeing that the Government is hopeless and we need a new one. And I think I know why.
Blair had a certain something - even though I (personally) couldn't stand the man, regarded him as a bare-faced liar, and disagreed with most of his policies, I could see that he was good at being a Prime Minister. He kind of looked the part, somehow. Gordon ... well ... just doesn't. He looks uncomfortable. He looks like the class swot who's just been left in charge by the teacher. And I think that may be the root cause. We didn't choose him, we didn't vote for him, but (and this is the crucial bit) he doesn't look like the sort of PM we would have chosen. Somehow, he is not Prime Ministerial enough.
In addition, just to add the icing on the cake, the decisions he made over ten years as Chancellor have now come home to roost. So the whole New Labour project is all falling apart and he can't even blame someone else.
So, basically, he's got everything going against him. Looks like the next General Election will be 1 May 2010 - and not a day earlier.
On Newsnight last night they made the comment no Labour Leader has been deposed for a long time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe even back to HG in the 50's ?
Do you think Labour's most recent flirtation with capitalism has meant they are now more eagle-eyed and competitive to win again ?
If this is so, they'll have to dump GB and elect Mr Milliband.
My feeling is the're too fat and too heavy to move from years at the trough and the above is highly unlikely.
Stroudface
I have to say, a "flirtation with capitalism" is an odd way to describe New Labour's policies.
ReplyDeleteCan't see it that way myself. Their mindset is that regulation solves all problems, and that freedom is the space they choose to leave for us between their rules. I can't see Hayek or Friedman describing that as even a flirtation with the capitalist system they described.
If New Labour have flirted with anything, it is with collectivism.