Business leaders give Brown the thumbs-down
Peter Hoskin 9:01am
Apologies, after my last post, for the opinion poll one-two punch, but this ComRes effort in today's Indpendent is well worth pointing out. Only 28 percent of its business leader respondents say that they're confident in the Prime Minster's ability to manage the economy - down from 42 percent in October - and only 16 percent are confident in Alistair Darling. The corresponding figures for Dave 'n' George are 46 and 29 percent respectively.
Off the top of my head, it's the first time that the Tory pair have had a significant lead on economic credibility for a few months now. And - although the poll was conducted exclusively among business figures rather than among the general public - they'll cite it as further support for Cameron's claim earlier this week that the Tories are "winning the economic argument". The real winner from all this, though, could be Vince Cable. The Lib Dem man comes out on top of both Osborne and Darling, with a 41 percent confidence rating; whilst Nick Clegg scores worse than both Cameron and Brown, with a measly 11 percent. After Peter Oborne's article last weekend, numbers like those could further encourage the 'Vince for Chancellor' brigade.
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molesworth 1
January 9th, 2009 10:34am Report this commentI've just read the text of the speech George Osbourne gave to Policy Exchange this morning. Good stuff. Is this the beginning of the counter-attack, do you think?
Steve
January 9th, 2009 12:20pm Report this commentDon't forget that Ming Campbell had a similar reputation for all knowing elder statesman in contrast to Charlie Kennedy's ineffectual leadership and look what happened. Putting Vince in the cabinet would be laughable. I very much doubt he could stand up to the left in his own party. never mind the Dennis Skinner brigade!
Tiberius
January 9th, 2009 1:13pm Report this commentWhere are all the naysayers from your previous post now, Pete?
I'd guess they're trying to articulate why all these business chaps have got it all wrong, although I continue to be surprised at how long Vince Cable's Norman Wisdom routine remains popular.
Polly and Alice's mum
January 9th, 2009 2:01pm Report this commentMolesworth I, can you tell us where to find the text of Osborne's speech? so that we can give our informed opinions.
Many thanks.
PayDirt
January 9th, 2009 2:02pm Report this commentCan somebody give a clear and believable explanation about how come the banks have got to this stage? It would be worth giving the public, as fed by news media etc every day with new tidbits, a review of exactly has gone wrong. I mean, I understand I think things like Enron and rogue traders betting and losing their bank’s money, but I’ve got a bit lost on how come the whole worlds’ banking system managed to lose so much dosh. It’s not much good bandying terms like “credit crunch” around as if we all know what that means. Was it really all about investing in worthless assets? I have not seen any decent plans either to bring those to blame to book or to avoid the same problem in future.
Verity
January 9th, 2009 2:55pm Report this commentForty-six percent - and many of them probably voted with a sense of desperation ("Well, best of a bad lot ...").
If David Cameron, the Leader of the Conservatives, fails to win the confidence of a minimum of fifty percent of business leaders, what the hell is going on? Not even half the country's business leaders have any confidence in him.
Cameron has to go and be replaced by someone more committed to the Conservative cause, and businesses large and small. He hasn't even achieved 50% confidence from business - which looks to Conservatives for a steady hand on the tiller. We need a robust Leader business leaders will gladly throw their weight behind.
Verity
January 9th, 2009 3:18pm Report this commentWhat's more, Pete H, re your headlines: Business leaders give Brown the thumbs-down, they also gave Cameron the thumbs-down, didn't they, as fewer than 50 per cent have confidence in him. It should have read: Business leaders give Brown and Cameron the thumbs-down
Dominic Allkins
January 9th, 2009 3:28pm Report this comment>> Paydirt
To understand why the banks have got to where they are is pretty complex and is based around Basel II and capital adequacy. I'd recommend (if the Coffee House mods don't mind) going to have a look at EU Referendum - Richard North has done a pretty good job of detailing it in terms that are more understandable.
Dominic
Verity
January 9th, 2009 4:14pm Report this commentDominic Allkins - Both Richard North and Helen Szamuely are sharp, incisive writers well worth reading at any time. Today, I would recommend Richard North's post on Europe's intention of grabbing Britain's gas - and his prediction that Britain under this government will roll over and give it to them.
eureferendum.blogspot.com
molesworth 1
January 9th, 2009 5:43pm Report this comment@Polly & Alice's Mum
If your still looking for the text of that speech I found it here:
http://www.politicshome.com/landing.aspx#5393
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