Quote of the day 26th August

'In 2010 the voters gave the Labour party a warning. “We don’t like or trust the Tories, but after the financial crash we can no longer trust you. We’re not going to give the other lot a majority, but sort yourselves out”.

The Labour Party’s response was to elect Ed Miliband, and shift incrementally to the left.

So the voters gave Labour a second warning. “You didn’t listen to us did you?”, they said. “We still don’t really like that other lot, but I’m afraid you’re treating us like we’re fools. So we’re going to have teach you another lesson. This time we are going to give them a majority, a small one. We’re being serious now. Get your act together”.

And Labour’s response is going to be to elect Jeremy Corbyn.

 I could be wrong. I pray to God I’m wrong. But I’m not sure Labour is going to get a third warning.'

(Dan Hodges, writing in the Daily Telegraph  here.)

Comments

Jim said…
It depends if you interpret the last two as warnings. I know politicians love to "look at what people REALLY meant by a decision" but its not usually the case.

It was not really intentional that a lib/con coalition came to power in 2010, it was just how it worked out with fewer voters. In fact its very difficult to deliberately elect a coalition in the UK under FPTP. And its just as difficult to deliberately elect a small majority. it would take a national planning type body, to ensure that the correct numbers are elected.

Its all about less and less voters, all going to vote for someone they dont belive in, simply because they are better than the other lot, which is a pretty poor show really, thats why so many people don't and did not bother.
5:42 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
Everything you say is correct. I doubt however if Dan meant the comment quite so literally rather than metaphorically.
5:09 pm
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