[Itshim]

Originally Posted by Escapee

As he has concentrated on telling the voter what he's not going to do and not what he is going to do, It's difficult to predict. The question is, will he do very little or will he be Blair 2.0.

He can't do much different unless he hits the public with higher taxes, he's unlikely to grow the economy. So I guess he's either going to have a short honeymoon period until those that voted for him realise, or he's going to get radical. He doesn't seem like the radical type, he's Mr cautious but it depends on who he has advising him. (Maybe Blair!!!!)

* Give the Welsh Assembly more powers.

He can then distance himself from them and the shambles they have been responsible for over the past 25 years. (I refuse to call that town hall council a government)

* Some spite taxes on those in the middle earning a good wage to appease those that suffer from envy.

They know they can't tax the rich, so better off workers are an easy target as the are generally despised by those on benefits, low paid, part-time or pensioners.

* Further privatisation of the NHS by stealth with PFI type deals like the last Labour government.

What they have said about increasing the contracting of NHS patients to private hospitals would have resulted in screams of "Privatisation of the NHS" if the Conservatives had proposed the same.

* Building their 40 new hospitals will most likely be some sort of PFI deal with the private sector. The Conservatives couldn't afford it, but perhaps he's going to screw those in the middle enough to pay for it.

* GB Energy or whatever it's called is just another deal to throw money at the private sector. Even if does reduce energy bills it will have been funded by the extra tax collected from the worker.

* Abolish the 40 & 45% tax relief on pension contributions, and reduce the annual allowance from £60k back to £40k. (Envy tax)

* Abolish the 25% tax free amount that you can take from your pension pot after 55 year of age. (I could foresee an election and a Labour government later this year, so even though I didn't really need the money when I combined my private pensions in April this year I took my 25%)

All in all personally I find it depressing, I'm less than 2 years off 60 which is when I plan to retire or partially retire. So from a personal point of view I'm hoping he ignores his advisors and follows his gut instinct, which means he will probably procrastinates for at least a year and then do very little.

I just wonder how long it will take for the centre-left to realise, or should I say admit, that things are no better.

Your summary its so true.