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It's interesting that the only two Sheffield Hallam polls have been taken at times when Labour nationally wasn't doing so well (now and in late 2010), yet they STILL showed Labour neck-and-neck. Presumably any Hallam polls in 2012 or 2013 would've shown a Labour lead.

Probably, but it's such a strange seat that it would be fairly resistant to national polling.

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Again though, 'is this the most important thing your vote will be based on' =/= 'this isn't an important thing for you to base your vote on'. Hygiene isn't the most important thing I'd use to decide if someone's marriage material, but I'm not exactly going to marry someone who smells like a sewer.
Again though, 'is this the most important thing your vote will be based on' =/= 'this isn't an important thing for you to base your vote on'. Hygiene isn't the most important thing I'd use to decide if someone's marriage material, but I'm not exactly going to marry someone who smells like a sewer.

 

How well is "vote Labour for massive spending cuts delivered with half as much competence as the Tories" working on the doorstep?

More competent at making cuts, certainly, simply because they're the seasoned pros at it and have years of experience at doing it. If I thought cutting the deficit was overwhelmingly the biggest issue that needed tackling (which needless to say I don't) I would probably vote Tory since they're the "market leaders" in that regard.

 

And this is the big problem for Labour, they've got themselves into the ridiculous position of complaining that George Osborne hasn't cut spending quickly enough. Apart from the fact that line of attack will just look like petty schadenfreude to the public, it also encourages people to think that the deficit is out of control and needs tackling, and that's something which people are ALWAYS going to think the Tories are the answer to. It's exactly the same as trying to "out-Ukip Ukip" on immigration, which the main parties seem to have finally at long last given up on after weeks of posturing only led to Ukip's ratings climbing ever higher.

Edited by Danny

How do you class "competency" with making cuts? Fairness? Because they're slashing all sorts which we wouldn't dream of.

 

And that's completely not the message we're making. We're merely making the point that Osborne has completely failed in reaching his deficit target because the cuts have been offset by inadvertently paying out more in benefits to people who are in poverty despite often being in work.

Actually, it does indeed seem that it MIGHT be starting to dawn on Ed Balls that, if he wants to win the votes of people who oppose the Tories' policies (the 59% of people who do not see the need for more austerity according to Populus), it might be an idea to oppose the Tories' policies himself:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/d...r-spending-cuts

Edited by Danny

good articles. I can confirm local government is already cut to the bone and politicians of all parties are not remotely happy with the government, in fact their statements are positively hostile, with some councils now entering into the private business market (and putting real private companies out of work presumably) in order to try and get cash to keep services going.

 

Yes, hard to believe I know. Things are so bad now that some Tory councils are competing with the private sector. That's worth repeating. Staff paid for by taxpayers are now in the business of putting the private sector out of work.

 

Me, I'm trying to provide data required by the government on feb 2nd using 4 fingers, spreadsheets and lots of cut n pasting cos our 20-year-old IT system is held together with sticky tape and a wing and a prayer and it's not considered a priority. My other government deadline-urgent work for tax-year-end is waiting in line behind that. I'm tempted to do a runner and stuff the job just to watch the whole thing collapse cos no-one else knows how to use the old system.

 

Funny old world lately....

Again though, 'is this the most important thing your vote will be based on' =/= 'this isn't an important thing for you to base your vote on'. Hygiene isn't the most important thing I'd use to decide if someone's marriage material, but I'm not exactly going to marry someone who smells like a sewer.

 

Well, does this question meet your test?

 

Thinking about how the next government handles the deficit, which of the following best reflects your view?

 

They should prioritise reducing deficit, mainly through cuts: 20%

Should prioritise reducing deficit, mainly through taxes: 19%

Should NOT prioritise reducing deficit, spend more on public services or cut taxes: 36%

None of these: 10%

Don't know: 15%

 

http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/docu...ults-051214.pdf

 

The big question is why the mainstream politicians are surprised that they're held in such contempt, when they're determined to only represent the 20% of extremists who want yet more cuts (even if those extremists are over-represented in the Westminster echo chamber).

Edited by Danny

Combining spending more and cutting taxes into one option makes for a very strange question. Besides, it leaves prioritise reducing the deficit ahead by 39% to 36%.
Combining spending more and cutting taxes into one option makes for a very strange question. Besides, it leaves prioritise reducing the deficit ahead by 39% to 36%.

 

It does, but (a) even I'd be happy with a government who was reducing the deficit based solely on tax rises, even if I'd think it unnecessary, and (b ) that 36% who flat-out don't think the deficit matters at all would still be enough for Labour to probably win. Doesn't change the fact that the stance of all 3 main parties (more massive cuts) accounts between them for only one-fifth of public opinion.

Since when did Labour insist the deficit could only be financed through cuts?
Since when did Labour insist the deficit could only be financed through cuts?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong (which I might be since they're constantly contradicting themselves), but they've been saying it needs to be cut mainly through spending cuts, and that in total spending will be cut substantially. A stance that only 20% of the public agree with.

It's not even a case of contradiction - I don't think it's an area where we've publicly stated a position on it. I wouldn't be surprised if we reprise the Darling position of half cuts, half tax rises.
It's not even a case of contradiction - I don't think it's an area where we've publicly stated a position on it. I wouldn't be surprised if we reprise the Darling position of half cuts, half tax rises.

 

Which still goes against the wishes of the 80% who say they don't want the deficit reduced mainly through cuts, or the 60% who point-blank say they don't want any further cuts at all.

Edited by Danny

That's a bit of a cheeky spin - you could equally say a 50/50 policy goes against the wishes of the 79% who say they don't want it reduced mainly through taxes.

 

Actually, you couldn't really say that, because it isn't 60% who 'point blank say' they don't want any further cuts at all - 10% want something different (christ knows what), 15% don't know, and 36% don't think the deficit is a priority compared to increasing public spending or tax cuts. The certain percentage of that 36% that prioritises public spending is the only part of that you could say 'point blank don't want any further cuts at all'. It's pretty dreadful polling on YouGov's part to combine the two together, given tax cuts are almost always popular in the abstract.

That's a bit of a cheeky spin - you could equally say a 50/50 policy goes against the wishes of the 79% who say they don't want it reduced mainly through taxes.

 

Actually, you couldn't really say that, because it isn't 60% who 'point blank say' they don't want any further cuts at all - 10% want something different (christ knows what), 15% don't know, and 36% don't think the deficit is a priority compared to increasing public spending or tax cuts. The certain percentage of that 36% that prioritises public spending is the only part of that you could say 'point blank don't want any further cuts at all'. It's pretty dreadful polling on YouGov's part to combine the two together, given tax cuts are almost always popular in the abstract.

 

The 60% isn't from this poll, it's from the Lord Ashcroft poll I've quoted before from a few months ago, in which 40% said they thought more austerity was necessary and the rest said either that no austerity was EVER needed, or that it was once needed but not anymore.

 

And even if I am stretching these polling results for all they're worth, I'm putting far less cheeky spin on it than your attempts to spin these results into an endorsement of deficit hysteria! And it's certainly untenable to continue to claim that it's in Labour's political interests to posture about being willing to cut spending, despite it being one of the Progress Tendency's shibboleths.

Edited by Danny

SNP spokesman on Newsnight saying they would demand an end to spending cuts (and Trident) as the price for a coalition with Labour.

Edited by Danny

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