James Forsyth James Forsyth

Is the next election result a done deal?

There is a typically thoughtful column in The Independent today by Steve Richards responding to those columnists, principally Matt, who have declared that Labour has already lost the next election and that David Cameron will be the next Prime Minister. Steve presents four reasons, one each about Brown and Cameron’s leadership and two about the current crisis and the ideological pull it is exerting, for why the election result might not yet be a done deal.

Steve is right that the political landscape has moved left because of the economic crisis. But, in an odd way, this might benefit the Tories. The state did not nationalise the banks because of public demand but out of necessity. In the current circumstances, the electorate might view electing a government that is wary of the new ideological situation as a sensible hedge.

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