Tory economic illiteracy STILL more popular than Labour policy. Why?

141208poll-economy

Labour has a five-point lead over the Conservative Party, according to the latest Opinium/Observer poll of voting intentions, but – even after George Osborne’s Autumn Statement revealed the extent of his party’s economic mismanagement, 14 per cent more voters said they trusted him to run the economy.

Why?

Perhaps it is because so few people believe any of them know what they’re doing.

Osborne has made it perfectly clear that he will fail in any stated intention that involves more strenuous mental activity than towel-folding:

  • He promised to pull the economy out of deficit and into surplus by the end of the current Parliament – he failed.
  • He promised to start reducing the national debt – he failed.
  • He promised to spread the impact of his spending cuts so that they impacted on rich and poor evenly – he lied (the poor have been hit much, much harder).
  • He promised austerity would be a temporary measure – now he is planning to return government spending to its 1930s levels (pre-NHS, pre-welfare state) and keep it there indefinitely.

And these are just a few of the cock-ups he has made as Chancellor. Here’s another – remember our Triple-A credit rating? He promised to defend it – of course we were downgraded.

Tellingly, 32 per cent of respondents said they wouldn’t trust the Tories, Labour or the Liberal Democrats with the economy. Add in the ‘don’t knows’ and almost half the respondents were against giving any of the main political parties another chance to dabble with the national finances.

This scepticism shows again in responses to questions about individual policies. Asked for opinions on Coalition plans to boost NHS spending by £2 billion, less than half those questioned believed it would happen. Spending plans for roads received a similarly lukewarm response (although in both cases, even fewer people believed it would not happen). Both these plans are unfunded – that is, the government has either failed to explain where the money will be found, or its explanation has fallen apart under analysis. Roads, in particular, suffer from optimistic funding promises that fail to materialise when the money runs out.

Asked about tax cuts, the polls respondents were on much firmer ground, with changes to stamp duty, the plan to further raise the personal tax allowance, and plans to raise the 40p tax threshold to 50p all regarded as believable by a clear majority of respondents.

In other words, they believe Conservatives will cut taxes, but they don’t believe they’ll fulfil their spending promises – possibly because of the very same tax cuts?

Perhaps the real perception problem isn’t that the Conservatives are better-able to run the British economy than anyone else – clearly they are not.

The real problem is that the national press is unwilling to admit that the public doesn’t trust any of our elected politicians with our finances.

It follow – inexorably – that the UK has a serious democratic – as well as financial – deficit.

We only vote these clowns into office because we are not allowed the ability to demand better.

Follow me on Twitter: @MidWalesMike

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5 Comments

  1. Jim Round December 8, 2014 at 5:14 am - Reply

    Are you seriously saying you don’t know the answer Mike?
    How many Tory supporting papers are there again?
    How many support Labour?
    Why does the media think a celebrities breasts/lifestyle/clothes/meltdown is more important than hard facts?
    I stick to my previous comments, I very much doubt a socialist/real left wing government would ever get elected.

    • Chris Mckenzie December 8, 2014 at 7:05 pm - Reply

      Blaming the media is fine, up to a point… then you remember that Labour were SILENT on the Tory lie that Labour caused the economic crisis, sewing the seeds for economic illiteracy. What kind of own goal is that? Now they want power again and they are fighting an up hill struggle. Thats why we need a long term replacement to Labour.

      • Ian Duncan December 8, 2014 at 8:26 pm - Reply

        At least Yvette Cooper defended their record when that nasty witch, Jill Kirby, repeated the lie on last week’s Question Time. Shirley Williams also spoke up for Labour, which was nice of her.

        It continues to baffle me as to how the Conservatives ever got their reputation or economic competence, the eighties were a disaster for this country. Must be something to do with Labour governments of the seventies.

  2. Jeffery Davies December 8, 2014 at 6:53 am - Reply

    I pray they never again find their way back yet if I can
    see whot lies whot backhanders they take and do why
    cant the rest has this lot are worse than a crook jeff3

  3. Mr.Angry December 8, 2014 at 8:54 am - Reply

    How very true but sad, maybe we need an independent panel of financial experts to govern the economy and keep the hair brained politicians out of it, they could have an input but not responsible for the policies or final decisions.

    Just read the MOD have wasted six something billion pounds over past few years WHY?

    Eric Pickles limousines costing £350K WHY?

    A CEO in Penarth Council £190K salary and top of the range Porsche as a company car WHY?

    Look at the waste by numskull IDS billions yet it is allowed to happen, national disgrace.

    The latest political ploy from Osborne sending out millions of graphs showing where your taxes go, despite a load of false information it cost the tax payer five million, more waste.

    It is endless but no one at the top has the brains to even consider it.

    These are but a few any one with an ounce of financial ability could eliminate billions each year but this does not happen.

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