The Spending Review shows Labour up

The Spending Review shows Labour up

Yesterday’s spending review has shown that Labour have filled their policy void with policy confusion.  They have started to accept austerity saying they can’t guarantee they will reverse all the Conservative cuts, but so far can’t come up with a cut they will reverse.  They have said they will use the spending review as a starting point for their own spending if they were elected in 2015 but still say George Osborne is borrowing too much, and their answer is still to borrow more.  Ed Balls has also been talking about Iron discipline while talking about increased spending.  Labour’s current economic policy is currently messed up and if you ask Labour MP’s what their parties economic policy is you will get different answers from each one,  however one thing seems clear Labour are slowly accepting austerity albeit begrudgingly and in a confusing manner. 

Once you unravel Labours complex web of economic contradictions you can start to comprehend them losing their lead in the polls.  Why is Labour in the lead? People don’t like austerity and Labour have been offering an alternative (well sort of).  As Labour start to accept austerities who are these anti-austerity voters supposed to vote for? Voting Labour would no longer make sense, but you are unlikely to vote Conservative if you feel you have been hard done by the cuts, UKIP is a possible destination for these voters they are mainly working class and UKIP has proven to be very appealing to the working class.  Labour are also likely to struggle with the middle class vote which Tony Blair won in 97, although they are sort of accepting austerity they are doing it in such a confusing manner that they are not giving people confidence that they can run the economy, this group is likely to stick with the Conservatives. Overall Labour is likely to be hurt by its new economic position unless it can come right out and embrace austerity and make their message crystal clear, their current half in half out position will lose them votes and possibly the election come 2015.