Just when their man had given Conservative supporters three days of respite from feeling that he was sleepwalking towards defeat by coming out of his corner full of energy and bounce, Cameron makes an utterly nonsensical unnecessary promise to turn his previous undertaking not to raise rates of income tax, National Insurance Contribution and VAT for the duration of the next Parliament into legislation.Back behind the sofa everyone.n
Why on earth do that? Is he saying that there are now two tiers of election promises,- those you will legislate not to renege on and those that you won't so can?
Why on earth also box yourself in when fixing the economy and getting the annual expenditure budget to break even is the job in hand and the one which the electorate already believes you are the best party to do? It just makes no sense.
Nor does the growing fashion for legislating to restrict the freedom of future governments but that and its constitutional implications is a whole story in itself.
Ed Miliband didn't do a lot better either with his nocturnal visit to Russell Brand's house for an interview. Although Mr Brand's recording studio is in his house, the view of anyone going to a house puts the visitor in the position of being a supplicant. Remember those pictures of Lord King and Sir Colin Marshall going to Richard Branson's house during the curious "Dirty Tricks"allegations? It wrong footed them completely although the case itself was never proven. Then there is the small matter of Mr Brand being seen as way out on the left wing. Ed doesn't have a problem with left wing support. He will get all those votes anyway. It is over on the right where he needs to seek additional votes and where this evening sortie will lose rather than gain any. So why go there,- especially at night which has even more negative PR perceptions? Where was his political and people nous? And where were his advisors?
For David Cameron the problem remains his basic lack of political feel and wordliness. It is not his fault but he has never lived in a world of real people, their hopes and fears and daily concerns. That would be OK if he had around him a wide circle of multi-background advisors or just people to talk to but, preferring the company of long standing school and university friends who he trusts too much, he hasn't, and he visibly pays the price. He should also forget about the faux "man of the people" footie stuff. Electors aren't idiots. Being posh isn't a no, no but pretending not to be is.
Ed Miliband is better schooled by Alistair Campbell and others. During these past few weeks they have done a much better job on their client than Cameron's Lynton Crosby. despite their efforts, Take away the facade and Ed is no more a man of the people than his rival. He has though lived among some of the north London variety in his school days something which is an enormous benefit at times like these. Despite that, Northerners, Scots, Welsh, Northern Irelanders, Cornish, non London southerners and other fringe tribes are probably a bit of a mystery.
The man who has avoided these slips, talks human and can talk easily to anyone is the unfortunate Nick Clegg. Unfortunate? Yes. If he can't find a bigger issue to shout about this final week than free school meals he isn't going to set the campaign alight.
The ladies meanwhile continue to steer a slip-free course and do well, though two of them within limitations. The seemingly unlimited one, Nicola Sturgeon sweeps on in Scotland. Her biggest risk is that she might overcook it and some of the 55% who voted "No" in last September's independence referendum suddenly wake up as to what she is all about and scuttle back to Labour. That's the party whose decades of arrogant neglect of Scottish voters real interests strengthened calls for "independence" in the first place. Over in Wales, Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood is at least now known outside her home province but her task against overwhelming historic support for Labour who have done Wales few favours is almost impossible. Down among the Greens, once past her initial disastrous TV performance, leader Natalie Bennett did well enough in the BBC's 5 way non-debate but hasn't appeared much since. Their current sole MP Caroline Lucas might be a better front for the party but for those who do not want to live in caves, walk to work (if there is any) and live in poverty, whoever is leader doesn't have much of an agenda to sell.
A week today will be the last day of campaigning. That at least is a relief. It could save many TV screens. More before that though...
Why on earth do that? Is he saying that there are now two tiers of election promises,- those you will legislate not to renege on and those that you won't so can?
Why on earth also box yourself in when fixing the economy and getting the annual expenditure budget to break even is the job in hand and the one which the electorate already believes you are the best party to do? It just makes no sense.
Nor does the growing fashion for legislating to restrict the freedom of future governments but that and its constitutional implications is a whole story in itself.
Ed Miliband didn't do a lot better either with his nocturnal visit to Russell Brand's house for an interview. Although Mr Brand's recording studio is in his house, the view of anyone going to a house puts the visitor in the position of being a supplicant. Remember those pictures of Lord King and Sir Colin Marshall going to Richard Branson's house during the curious "Dirty Tricks"allegations? It wrong footed them completely although the case itself was never proven. Then there is the small matter of Mr Brand being seen as way out on the left wing. Ed doesn't have a problem with left wing support. He will get all those votes anyway. It is over on the right where he needs to seek additional votes and where this evening sortie will lose rather than gain any. So why go there,- especially at night which has even more negative PR perceptions? Where was his political and people nous? And where were his advisors?
For David Cameron the problem remains his basic lack of political feel and wordliness. It is not his fault but he has never lived in a world of real people, their hopes and fears and daily concerns. That would be OK if he had around him a wide circle of multi-background advisors or just people to talk to but, preferring the company of long standing school and university friends who he trusts too much, he hasn't, and he visibly pays the price. He should also forget about the faux "man of the people" footie stuff. Electors aren't idiots. Being posh isn't a no, no but pretending not to be is.
Ed Miliband is better schooled by Alistair Campbell and others. During these past few weeks they have done a much better job on their client than Cameron's Lynton Crosby. despite their efforts, Take away the facade and Ed is no more a man of the people than his rival. He has though lived among some of the north London variety in his school days something which is an enormous benefit at times like these. Despite that, Northerners, Scots, Welsh, Northern Irelanders, Cornish, non London southerners and other fringe tribes are probably a bit of a mystery.
The man who has avoided these slips, talks human and can talk easily to anyone is the unfortunate Nick Clegg. Unfortunate? Yes. If he can't find a bigger issue to shout about this final week than free school meals he isn't going to set the campaign alight.
The ladies meanwhile continue to steer a slip-free course and do well, though two of them within limitations. The seemingly unlimited one, Nicola Sturgeon sweeps on in Scotland. Her biggest risk is that she might overcook it and some of the 55% who voted "No" in last September's independence referendum suddenly wake up as to what she is all about and scuttle back to Labour. That's the party whose decades of arrogant neglect of Scottish voters real interests strengthened calls for "independence" in the first place. Over in Wales, Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood is at least now known outside her home province but her task against overwhelming historic support for Labour who have done Wales few favours is almost impossible. Down among the Greens, once past her initial disastrous TV performance, leader Natalie Bennett did well enough in the BBC's 5 way non-debate but hasn't appeared much since. Their current sole MP Caroline Lucas might be a better front for the party but for those who do not want to live in caves, walk to work (if there is any) and live in poverty, whoever is leader doesn't have much of an agenda to sell.
A week today will be the last day of campaigning. That at least is a relief. It could save many TV screens. More before that though...
