Liberal Vision

Breaking news: Vince rules himself out as next Speaker

Vince Cable has just  ruled himself out as next Speaker. Pity, in my humble opinion.

How do we lift ourselves out of the polling doldrums?

Tomorrow’s Sunday Telegraph ICM poll shows the Conservatives up 4% from the last Sunday Telegraph/ICM poll, published in early February, to 44%. This gives them a lead of 13% over Labour (on 31%).

Most worringly, the Liberal Democrats are the apparent losers in this poll with support dropping by four points from 22% to 18%.
Accepting that there are margins of error on all polls, and that results do vary from one company to another, this is still a worry.

What will the Party response be I wonder (apart from stating the they don’t comment on polls)? I for one am hoping that they will offer big and bold and specific promises on cuts to Government spending. (see Fridays Telegraph/YOUGOV poll if any evidence of the soundness of this policy is needed).

I applaud Vince Cable’s recent statement that “we will need to take tough decisions to bring restraint back to public spending in the future”. But surely we need to back this up with solid facts? Does the pledge to cut £20billion still stand? (though surely that is simply not enough?). And can anyone tell me where I can find these cuts spelled out?

Vince has done a first rate job at demonstrating his predictive and analytical skills during this economic disaster– but what we now need to see substantive policies. This is not the time to be timid or cowardly – holding back our plans for fear that the opposition will seek to pick holes in them. We should be forthright, plain-speaking and clear. Not only will this set us apart from the other parties but serve only to enhance Vince Cables well deserved reputation.