The Budget can someone explain

[gordondaviesmoustache]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this in the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would struggle to be PM in a nation as temperate as ours.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

 

[The perfect fumble]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this is the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would never be PM.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

I agree to an extent, with the caveat that Thatcher moved the centre to the right.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this is the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would never be PM.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

I agree, with the caveat that Thatcher moved the centre to the right.

That's fair comment and probably undermines my point a little tbf.

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this in the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would never be PM in a nation as temperate as ours.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

I have always found it fascinating that the unions basically handed total control of the UK over to the conservatives who in turn made sure they would never hold so much power again and then fucked them over and over every time they tried to get back on the front foot. I wonder if they ever look back on the lead up to the general election of 79 and think "we fucked up there"

 

[The perfect fumble]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this is the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would never be PM.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

I agree, with the caveat that Thatcher moved the centre to the right.

That's fair comment and probably undermines my point a little tbf.

Do you not think that now there is a solid group to the left, if not a cohesive one?

 

[The perfect fumble]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this in the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would never be PM in a nation as temperate as ours.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

I have always found it fascinating that the unions basically handed total control of the UK over to the conservatives who in turn made sure they would never hold so much power again and then fucked them over and over every time they tried to get back on the front foot. I wonder if they ever look back on the lead up to the general election of 79 and think "we fucked up there"

They do, the problems at the end of the 70's were due to the breakdown of the "Social Contract". I know Trade Unionist have gone through a long night of the soul over that period, a process the bankers wil never have to endure.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this in the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would never be PM in a nation as temperate as ours.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

I have always found it fascinating that the unions basically handed total control of the UK over to the conservatives who in turn made sure they would never hold so much power again and then fucked them over and over every time they tried to get back on the front foot. I wonder if they ever look back on the lead up to the general election of 79 and think "we fucked up there"

Probably not, but many have difficulty admitting catastrophic errors of judgment on occasion. It strikes at our very core as a person.

I do remember watching a documentary about the unions in the 1970's and Peter Shore, the left wing, Eurosceptic former Labour minister said something to the effect of: ' whatever way you look at it, the unions had the opportunity to behave in a responsible way to advance the best interests of their members in that period, and they blew it'.

It's difficult to see how any reasonable person could disagree with that. As you say, they were Thatcher's biggest electoral asset in 1979.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I agree, with the caveat that Thatcher moved the centre to the right.

That's fair comment and probably undermines my point a little tbf.

Do you not think that now there is a solid group to the left, if not a cohesive one?

There are plenty of people in this country who are solidly left-wing. Many in education, the arts and local government, for example. Many of the metropolitan intelligentsia fit into that grouping too. They are not cohesive and probably never have been to sufficient an extent. The left has perpetually been stricken by in-fighting.

 

[Ducado]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this in the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would struggle to be PM in a nation as temperate as ours.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

That is very true, and it's a point often lost on those on the extremes of politics

We are quite a conservative nation (with a small c)

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

English politics probably lies slightly to the left or the right of centre depending of the prevailing wind, but never deviates very far from the middle.

Tony Blair understood this; Michael Foot did not. The Tories forgot this in the late nineties/early naughties. Someone as right wing as IDS would struggle to be PM in a nation as temperate as ours.

Thatcher was the exception to this rule, but the circumstances of her premiership, especially its genesis, were sui generis imo.

That is very true, and it's a point often lost on those on the extremes of politics

We are quite a conservative nation (with a small c)

I think that caters for those of us who have a rather unique Fascist-Trotskyite philosophy - fascist on some things and a raving Trot on others! No wonder I'm having trouble looking for a suitable candidate with whom to deposit my vote!