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Insider Research
Understanding the heart of Westminster
Tuesday 15th September 2009 | 14:46
Brown and the C word: Right idea, six months too late
There is agreement across the political spectrum that the Labour government would have been in a stronger position had it been more upfront about cuts at the time of the Budget.
It is now six months since a special PoliticsHome/Spectator poll was the first to show that 'cuts' was no longer a toxic word for the general public. It took the Tories months to dare to use the word, and today the Prime Minister has finally seen the wisdom of sounding more forthright.
Gordon Brown has just finished speaking at the TUC conference, saying that 'Labour will cut costs, cut inefficiencies, cut unnecessary programmes and cut lower priority budgets.' In doing so, he broke off from a long-standing refusal to use the word 'cuts'.
Political observers and insiders across the parties are almost united in thinking that the position of the Labour government would have been substantially stronger had they not spent the past six months avoiding the economic realities, and losing credibility in the process.
Eighty six per cent of insiders on the panel - which includes senior government ministers and opposition frontbenchers as well as media commentators, strategists, think tank heads and academics – think that if the need for future cuts had been admitted at the time of the budget, Labour would now be in a substantially stronger position.
The decision to change policy and use the 'c-word' comes less than 24 hours after the Phi100 strongly recommended it as a course of action.
If Labour had admitted the need for future cuts back at the time of the budget, do you think they would have now been in a:
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Charlie
Brown says: "Labour will cut costs, cut inefficiencies........"
Mandelson would depict Labour as "wise spenders"
Labour's proven track record over the last twelve years is EXACTLY the opposite. It is one of wanton profligacy with our money. Why on Earth should any voter believe anything these people say?
Time to give the other Guys a chance, I think.
Tim B
The comments aout how Labour "will" cut costs and inefficiencies begs the question: why did you not cut them before? You've had 12 years to do so, why now?
A J Scott
Children in the playground again. Why can't they grow up?
SureyABC
In some ways, it shows that Brown is not up to this leadership job. He is constantly lacking direct and wants to 'lead' from the back. At least you can argue that Blair led fro the front, even if he was wrong.
Another classic example of some one being promoted beyond their abilities and that Mandelson got it right in backing Blair for the leadership. Only another 8 months for the chance of a change.