The Tories turn their fire on ‘lamentable’ Johnson
David Blackburn 4:37pm
Come back, you insufferable relatives, all is forgiven: the political class has devoted
an afternoon to trading insults about who said what about VAT and when.
However, there have been some intriguing exchanges amid the New Politics’ latest outing.
First, Labour seems to be fighting the two coalition partners as a single entity in Oldham East. Cameron, Clegg and Simon Hughes have received equal measures of opprobrium this afternoon and all have been lumped together. This was always a danger, but, as Fraser noted, Clegg and Cameron invited the manoeuvre by uniting their parties’ central operations in the cause of government. If Cameron and Clegg don’t differentiate in the general, Labour won't in the particular.
Second, the Tories are after Alan Johnson. Justine Greening has eviscerated the Shadow Chancellor for his economic illiteracy on the Today programme this morning. She writes:
This pugilistic approach contrasts with the campaign against Ed ‘Bandwagon’ Miliband. As Iain Martin observes, the latter is straight from Blair On Tactics, designed to convince that Miliband is a desperate populist – desperate because he is loathed. It is an attritional, long-term strategy that should mature in 2015. The attack on Johnson is merely the latest of many head-hunting expeditions. And the former tactic supports the latter: if the Tories decapitate Johnson, then Miliband will become more desperate and seek ever more rickety bandwagons.‘He committed Labour (apparently by accident) to a brand new, job-destroying £13 billion increase in National Insurance to replace the VAT rise.He admitted that he didn’t know which year Labour would eliminate the structural deficit, initially telling the BBC it would be 2015-16 before later saying he “probably” meant 2016-17.
He was confused over when Labour’s own cuts would start, saying that 2011 “has to be about jobs and growth” not cuts, when in fact Labour’s own plans are for the biggest cuts to happen in 2011.
He hasn’t even read the Budget Red Book on which his economic plan is supposedly based, telling Evan Davis “you’ve probably read more of it than I have.”’
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Voter
January 4th, 2011 4:54pm Report this commentI don't think the voters of Old and Sad will give a monkeys what Justine Greening said on the Today programme. Only one winner there.
toco
January 4th, 2011 5:27pm Report this commentThe naive Red Ed's election courtesy of his trades union paymasters was a serious mistake for Labour and a gift for the Conservatives.It has now been demonstrated within in few months that Red Ed is totally unfit for purpose and will be stood down-hardly surprising given his sheltered communist background in Hampstead which protected him from ever having to work for a living.As one of Labour's elite political class everything has been handed to Red Ed on a silver plate and it shows.
TrevorsDen
January 4th, 2011 5:41pm Report this commentCurrently at least I think 'bandwagon' is a more effective epithet than 'rEd'.
The economic delinquency of AJ will not go down at all well with anyone of the slightest tory leaning nor with those remaining none lefty libdems.
The feeling in my bones is that labour are barking up the wrong ree.
normanc
January 4th, 2011 7:45pm Report this commentAny tax that takes money out of the productive sector of the economy to spend on the unproductive is a job killer.
Surely even Osborne knows that?
JohnBUK
January 4th, 2011 8:58pm Report this commentnormanc - "Any tax that takes money out of the productive sector of the economy to spend on the unproductive is a job killer."
Not for Liebore it isn't. Just pass a few more laws for people to trip over and put in some "co-ordinators".
laverda
January 5th, 2011 2:33am Report this commentOld & Sad voters need reminding who doubled income tax on the lowest paid workers and caused a large part of the economic mess the current government faces.
If angry LibDem supporters want to really dish out revenge on government they should vote conservative and ensure labour are beaten.
UKIP supporters similarly should vote conservative if they want to keep labour out, but ensure the tory candidate knows he will be toast unless he supports and demands an EU referendum.
The Laughing Cavalier
January 5th, 2011 9:40am Report this commentPerhaps he is confused asa result of luncing so well at the Savoy.
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