Fair enough Col. For what it's worth I'd love a Boro Premier League title challenge in 2024.
I just don't see confidence in the economy, or the level of national debt being something that influences voters all that much. Or at least not the specific voters that Labour need to try and convince. The big issues will more likely be stuff like Priti Patels latest mad rambling on asylum seekers.
There's only about 30 Labour MPs now that support nationalising industries, re-balancing the economy and increasing taxes anyway. Half of them are 70 odd. Even in the unlikely event Labour gain the 130 odd seats they need there still won't be any sort of parliamentary majority for policies like that.
A few musings of mine in reply. Firstly, Mr Gibson has been tasked with our Premier League challenge, in order to do that we as fans need to get behind him and get behind Borexit by 2023
The economy and national debt will have a massive influence on how people vote imho. These are the very things that determine public sector spending on the NHS, Police and other emergency services. It will influence mortgage rates, consumer confidence and spending, job security, job development, education etc as I know you will appreciate. I firmly believe we will likely see a significant bounce back of the economy by around the middle of next year. Brexit will either be delivered via a trade deal (i expect this) or WTO tariffs will be bedding in and disruption likely limited by then. (all opinion & speculation on my part, I understand). I base that in part, on the belief that a vaccine will have began roll out to the vulnerable and delivered to all before winter 2021
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By the time an election comes along, I doubt the landscape will be quite so bleak as it appears at first glance.
I think If people feel their jobs will be more secure, feel policies in Labours manifesto will offer them some benefits to improve their lives, create opportunity for those without work, offer a better improved version of society and our way of life (whilst appearing affordable, realistic and most of all deliverable. Labour need to make their offer plausible and fully costed) I am sure Labour can regain power. There needs to be something for the young, something for families, for the old, those both in and out of work, for the public services and crucially for business leaders too. Starmer is gaining trust as fast as all in Government are haemorrhaging it. Four years is a long way off, but oddly, the older I become, the faster time flies
The rebalancing of the economy needs to be undertaken slowly but surely. People do not like lots of change all at once, some fear it. By a slower pace of change I think people will accept it, see the benefits, fairness and equality. Some businessman like your Dyson and Branson types may sail off, but there are always others happy to fill the void they leave and rise to the challenge of filling the gaps. Re—nationalisation, if handled well, should reduce prices, secure employment and create income for the treasury. I think handled slowly and in piecemeal, it would more likely be accepted and help support and improve our manufacturing base (albeit from a low starting point). There would be lots more Labour MP’s that come in if power is regained, crucially they would be coming in on the back of pledging support to the manifesto. My old dad always used to say softly, softly, catchy monkey
Then again, him having been a zookeeper, I suppose he would