Political Doom?
Those of us of a certain age will have regularly watched the sitcom "Dad's Army", about the Home Guard in World War II. One of the most well-known characters was Frazier, a soldier and undertaker. Given even the most minor crisis, he would talk about the horrors of this situation and then declare "We're doomed!".
When I read the left-wing press about the current political situation, and the Labour party, Private Frazier comes to mind. Labour is 10 points behind in the polls... there is some criticism of Gordon Brown... there is some scandal regarding an adviser and e-mails, and... "We're doomed!"
I have been watching politics for a very long time, since a young teenager in the early 70s. I know this is all nonsense. No individual scandal brings down a government, and being way behind in the polls a year before an election has to be held is perfectly normal. Just consider the number of times that the Thatcher government was written off during the 1980s. Bill Clinton got it mostly right.. "It's the economy". In a year, things will have changed, economically. Brown and his allies will have had international support for their policies. Even if things have not recovered, their strategy will be in line with those of most other governments of the G20. What is the Tory opposition supposed to say? That they disagree with Obama, with the USA?
There is much to disagree with about the policies of this government, but it is economics that usually decides elections. There is no reason to think that a left-wing government of some sort (even if it is a coalition) won't be in power in 2011.
When I read the left-wing press about the current political situation, and the Labour party, Private Frazier comes to mind. Labour is 10 points behind in the polls... there is some criticism of Gordon Brown... there is some scandal regarding an adviser and e-mails, and... "We're doomed!"
I have been watching politics for a very long time, since a young teenager in the early 70s. I know this is all nonsense. No individual scandal brings down a government, and being way behind in the polls a year before an election has to be held is perfectly normal. Just consider the number of times that the Thatcher government was written off during the 1980s. Bill Clinton got it mostly right.. "It's the economy". In a year, things will have changed, economically. Brown and his allies will have had international support for their policies. Even if things have not recovered, their strategy will be in line with those of most other governments of the G20. What is the Tory opposition supposed to say? That they disagree with Obama, with the USA?
There is much to disagree with about the policies of this government, but it is economics that usually decides elections. There is no reason to think that a left-wing government of some sort (even if it is a coalition) won't be in power in 2011.