ANALYSIS & OPINIONS - ELECTION 2010

They say a day is a long time in politics ! How very true .

I am sure the Conservatives and most of the Tabloids / broad sheets especially those run by Mr Rupert Murdock - the Australian media mogul who owns 40% of UK papers had it all sown up for Cameron before the much hyped debate by the three party leaders . This has seen Cameron shift from the Mantra position of wanting CHANGE for almost change itself to SCARE-MONGERING ABOUT THE DE-MERITS of a `HUNG PARLIARMENT `which will not produce an outright winner ; but would make Nick Clegg a `KING MAKER - FORGING alliances / coalition with either Labour or Tory to form a government .

Then along  came boyish super photogenic Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats to throw ``spanners into an already charged political fire works ; and claiming two victories of the three debates . In good  looks David Cameron and Nick Clegg could be peas from same pod compared to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown whose dour face is anathema to smile  . If any good came out of this debate  between the Party leaders , it was to EDUCATE the POLITICALLY IGNORANT BRITISH CHATTERING CLASSES what the May 6, 2010 Election is all about - POLICIES ; not MODELS going for a Photo shoot !
Unfortunately , it soon became clear the debates and campaigns were going to be mostly about STYLE rather than SUBSTANCE !

THE KEY ISSUES IN THIS ELECTION 2010 ARE :

1. THE ECONOMY
2. IMMIGRATION
3. BANKS
4. TAXES
5. EDUCATION
6.NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
7.MANUFACTURING
8.WELFARE
9.THE EXPENSES SCANDAL
10.THE ENVIRONMENT

The most contentious of these issues have been the ECONOMY. At a time when it seems the Economy is picking up , Gordon Brown insisted that David Cameron as Prime Minister is a RISK FACTOR . He reiterated that CUTTING SPENDING  IN AN EMERGENCY BUDGET SOON AFTER THE ELECTION and in this current year at that , not only will be economically unstable . but would be risky and would double dip the recession .  ( make recession longer and worse ) .

Conservative Cameron countered with the same Mantra of Gordon Brown being a desperate man who has run out of steam and maintained the country needs Change . To reduce the deficit , the Tories will freeze Public Sector Pay and cut GOVERNMENT SPENDING WASTE . The Question is ; where would the CUTS be made . Tories not saying!
The Prime Minister insisted such cuts will  adversely affect ` front line services ` like the National Health Service , education and welfare .

In  some sense , all 3 main Parties are on the same page on the Deficit ; the only difference being in TIMING .

On TAXES : Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg  think it`s wrong for Cameron to plan a TAX BREAK  FOR `DOUBLE MILLIONNAIRES ( 3000 ) by raising the INHERITANCE TAX THRESHOLD .Cameron  believes it`s a most natural instinct to pass ones house to ones children .

On TAX CREDITS : Brown has consistently attacked with passion both Nick and Cameron  for planning to withdraw CHILD TAX CREDITS FOR THE POOR . Much like with Cameron`s planned mini budget of SPENDING CUTS and RISKING JEOPARDISING THE  GROWTH OF THE ECONOMY . `It`s the same old Conservatives Party ; TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH , cutting Tax Credits for the very poor !......... VERY UNFAIR !
Cameron`s plan is to withdraw Tax Credits from people earning more than £50000 ; Gordon £20000 and Nick £10000 - a fairer Tax system which the Lib Dem believe will make any one richer by £700 .

* Perhap`s the most touted HUNG PARLIAMENT IS NOT SUCH A BAD IDEA !
Once David Cameron was all about Change because probably he personally despised Brown , now it`s all about scaremongering about the demerits of that much maligned 2 words ; HUNG PARLIAMENT ! The predicted economic chaos is grossly exaggerated .

 It will help ` over haul `the ELECTORAL SYSTEM ` ; giving the Liberal Democrats important Concessions from the 2 main Parties  - like PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION instead of an existing System of `1st past the Post ; and return of some of our CIVIL LIBERTIES ! Above all , the Lib Dem helps keep a REIN on Tory and Labour !

BANKS AND BONUSES :  The MARKETS may be jittery , the people cannot be held ransom by it since it is itself THE CAUSE OF PRESENT GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWN TURN and DEVASTATION !
On the grossly unfair situation of tax payers bailing out the Banks , but bankers awarding themselves large BONUSES  ; Brown said Tax Payers will not loose out as the people owned SHARES OF banks which have been NATURALISED and therefore the profit thereof . Brown plans a %10 levy on Banks Profit .
The Lib Dem would rather  Retail Banks do not engage in risky Investment Banking ! It accused both Conservatives and Labour of being far too close to to the City . Nick Clegg claims that ,  the failure of banks to lend fund to SMALL / MEDIUM BUSINESSES was the main stumbling block to reviving the Economy .

Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg promised as Prime Minister  to shed the idea of Britain renewing its TRIDENT as NUCLEAR DETERENT for a saving of about £6billion to reduce the deficit . The Lib Dem will encourage Multilateral Disarmament , consider a cheap alternative rather than like for like when the present contract expires in the 2020`s . Both Gordon Brown and Cameron  thought it a `BARMY` IDEA , considering Ahmadenejad`s` Iran , Kim`s North Korea, terrorists and some rogue states -all want to acquire Nuclear Power to do the West harm .

IMMIGRATION :
 That darling  by-word of the BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY ! It seems to have been hijacked and made a whipping boy of the 3 main Parties . Avery very sore point with a lot of voters -- especially in Barking where  the BNP might just grab the vote there !

Nick Clegg believe that a ONE - OFF GENERAL AMNESTY should be granted to illegal immigrants who have lived in the woodwork for ten (10) years and being exploited by criminal gangs . While this would give an accurate number of these `hitherto faceless illegal immigrants , it will also help tax the criminals who exploit , aid and abet them . Makes sense ?  Only that Brown and Cameron see it as sending a WRONG MESSAGE to would be ILLEGALS - that it`s alright to come along , stay long and you will be forgiven . Make sense ? Cleggs Pledge is not particularly new as a 14 -year moratorium already operates .

Cameron promised immigration will beCapped - in tens of thousands and not hundreds of thousands as he claims it currently  is  . As Clegg pointed out Cameron `s policy if any is a complete non sense - more aligned to the BNP ?.......... AS %80 of immigrants come from the European Union and therefore could not be kept out of Britain . ( Yes  , you guessed it - Clegg`s` Manifesto actually reflect an entry into Europe .... only according to him when the time is RIGHT ?

Perhaps only Gordon Brown with an advantage of being the Prime Minister has operated a A Point based System which has restricted the influx of foreign workers . While there will be no amnesty proposed by THE Lib Dem , NO UNSKILLED WORKERS will be allowed in , ID cards in operation to count people in and out of the tightened borders & country .

These are very interesting times in British Politics. these are times not to be swayed by Style and personalities but , having an idea of  , even `a rough `of the POLICIES in the Parties Manifestoes will help equip whoever with the SUBSTANCE TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE OF WHO TO VOTE FOR .........WHEN YOU ALONE ARE IN THAT VOTING BOOTH ON MAY 6

THIS YOUR CHANCE  . EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT !

 THEY SAY CLEGG IS INEXPERIENCED , GORDON IS NOT LIKED , TORIES NOT TRUSTED OR LIKED  ; PERHAP`S , THE DEVIL YOU KNOW IS BETTER THAN THE ONE YOU DONT ! WITHIN THE BOOTH , THE DECISION IS YOURS .