Voters back Tories over big cuts in spending

More voters trust the Conservatives than Labour on public spending, according to a poll that severely undermines Gordon Brown’s election plans.

The exclusive Populus poll for The Times shows that four in five voters believe that significant cuts in public spending are inevitable after the next election, regardless of who wins.

People have also become more pessimistic over the past few weeks about the economic outlook.

The poll suggests that Labour is heading for certain defeat to the Tories in the by-election in Norwich North on Thursday. Nationally, the Conservatives are on 38 per cent, up two points since June 9-10. Labour is on 26 per cent, up two points. If these trends are repeated locally, the Tories should win easily.

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Voters back Tories over big cuts in spending - Times Online

Not surprising i guess.
Any predictions for the by election this week?

Tories will win, just depends on how much they win.

Laila said:

Voters back Tories over big cuts in spending - Times Online

Not surprising i guess.
Any predictions for the by election this week?

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Maybe they do not want to end up like the US with a ****load of debt.

Metternich said:

Tories will win, just depends on how much they win.

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I agree.
It is inevitable, no matter what.

The real question is how big will their majority be.
Major type majority or Blair? If Blair, Cameron is in for a good ride.

jamesrage said:

Maybe they do not want to end up like the US with a ****load of debt.

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Yeah, I have to say. Looking at your debt numbers has made ours seem insignificant.

Problem is .. you do not, I repeat, do NOT cut spending during a rescission..

So the people might want a change in government (and I dont blame em) but in the end, the Tories will end up in government and have no plan because all their economic ideology during the last decade.

They can cut spending, but even they know that this is stupid in an economy that is in the toilet because no one is spending... Plus where to cut.....

They can also not turn to the private sector.. because it was the private sector, with the banks at the front that got us into this mess. All labour has to do if the Tories attempt this, is to remind people.. RBS!! or whatever bank with a phawt bonus check..

The Tories are basically as screwed as Labour and any other "conservative" political party through out the world. The last decade+ has driven so many holes through classic conservative economic theory that it looks like swiss cheese.

jamesrage said:

Maybe they do not want to end up like the US with a ****load of debt.

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Not that big a difference between the 2 countries. Both are heading to 80% of GDP in debt, which is higher than places like France and Germany. Of course it is no where near the right wing haven of Europe.. Italy..

PeteEU said:

Problem is .. you do not, I repeat, do NOT cut spending during a rescission..

So the people might want a change in government (and I dont blame em) but in the end, the Tories will end up in government and have no plan because all their economic ideology during the last decade.

They can cut spending, but even they know that this is stupid in an economy that is in the toilet because no one is spending... Plus where to cut.....

They can also not turn to the private sector.. because it was the private sector, with the banks at the front that got us into this mess. All labour has to do if the Tories attempt this, is to remind people.. RBS!! or whatever bank with a phawt bonus check..

The Tories are basically as screwed as Labour and any other "conservative" political party through out the world. The last decade+ has driven so many holes through classic conservative economic theory that it looks like swiss cheese.

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Agreed, its the torries deregulation fettish that got us into this mess in the first place, but people are just going to vote for them because they,re not Labour or because "David Cameron looks good"

Red_Dave said:

Agreed, its the torries deregulation fettish that got us into this mess in the first place, but people are just going to vote for them because they,re not Labour or because "David Cameron looks good"

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Interesting.

It seems politics are much the same everywhere.

It's always the other guy's fault.

jamesrage said:

Maybe they do not want to end up like the US with a ****load of debt.

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Indeed. If only we'd had some politician from either side powerful enough to force through spending cuts in the last 50 years or so. Bill Clinton's the only one I can think of right off the bat, and that's mostly because he was fortunate enough to have eight peaceful years to rule in.

Red_Dave said:

Agreed, its the torries deregulation fettish that got us into this mess in the first place, but people are just going to vote for them because they,re not Labour or because "David Cameron looks good"

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I disagree.
Many people may vote for Conservative myself included for a number of reasons.

Conservatives are suggesting policies that i quite frankly would love to see implemented, from primaries locally (a idea from Daniel Hannan that Cameron has adopted). More power to Bank of England (a shadow of its former self) in which power has been sucked from by Labour. The lessening of this police state, the fact they opposed ID cards which i absolutely despise. Reform of HOL and consitutional changes has also been proposed. Economically, spending will be hit one way or another. I'd rather it be now than have it be a shock. Rebalancing of power and attitude with our relation with US. (Reviewing the treaty signed by Blair) and if Lisbon treaty is not passed before conservatives get in. A referedum.

Pretty good reasons for me to go blue from where i am standing and run as far as possible from the party which has took us to 2 wars, restricted our civil liberties and use fear to force through bills not to mention has placed UK in debt by their actions.

I trust conservatives and liberal democrats over Labour on every single issue.

The conservatives are a ridiculous party that are socially and politically out of touch with modern Britain. Does anybody remember those 'council tax' cuts that the Tories said they'd implement should they gain more power in the general elections? Yes, economically and politically ridiculous. Individual councils would first have to agree with it which is impossible considering that the different parties control the various councils. And they, as Red Dave said, were the ones that deregulated our industries so much that we were exposed to the crisis more than we should be.

Why would you want the Bank of England to have MORE power? You can't give the bankers more power as they'll abuse it, as has been seen in the recent crisis. Besides that, Labour already gave them the interest rates and thus a huge control over British monetary action.

People are so intent on forgetting that Labour has done a lot for the country. Ten years of continuined growth and a strong pound, social reforms that people have today and STILL don't attribute as Labours initiatives.

I'd vote Lib Dem, myself, but the Tories are the most knee-jerk, reactionary party on the planet who lack any real policies. Have you read their policy manifesto? Load of old rhetoric and hyperbole.

Richard Nixon said:

The conservatives are a ridiculous party that are socially and politically out of touch with modern Britain.

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Under Howard they were. Conservatives WERE out of touch with Britain. For 12 years actually but now they are very much in touch with people. It is Labour who is the power out of touch with the british public.

Why would you want the Bank of England to have MORE power? You can't give the bankers more power as they'll abuse it, as has been seen in the recent crisis. Besides that, Labour already gave them the interest rates and thus a huge control over British monetary action.

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Conservatives wish to give BoE more regulatory powers over lenders. Why have FSA. It is merely another quango.

People are so intent on forgetting that Labour has done a lot for the country. Ten years of continuined growth and a strong pound, social reforms that people have today and STILL don't attribute as Labours initiatives.

I'd vote Lib Dem, myself, but the Tories are the most knee-jerk, reactionary party on the planet who lack any real policies. Have you read their policy manifesto? Load of old rhetoric and hyperbole.

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Yes i have. I have also been very close to my MP who is conservative and is infact the old Conservative chief whip.

I'm the last to forget the positive Labour has done.
But it is on its last stop on the bus. Its journey is over. UK needs a change, we are tired of the same Government not to mention all the **** ups Labour has done (and there has been alot of them!)

Laila said:

Under Howard they were. Conservatives WERE out of touch with Britain. For 12 years actually but now they are very much in touch with people. It is Labour who is the power out of touch with the british public.

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They still are. They still follow the tried, tested and failed approach of 'cut benefits and force them into schemes' which they did the last time they were in power, schemes which failed miserably. They are riding the train of thought that blames Labour for the credit crunch and promises them as the saviour. A ridiculous notion considering they posit the opposition of the actual solution. I suppose this will be proven wrong when the Tory government gets in and realised they HAVE to spend. I'd love to see the millions of jobs tied to the EU evaporate when the Tory implement their so-called exit from the EU. THAT'D be a tremendous failure.

Conservatives wish to give BoE more regulatory powers over lenders. Why have FSA. It is merely another quango.

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Because the FSA stops their becoming a lot of micro-regulators running riot like they did in the early 90's. That causes a lot of bureaucratic nonsense. You divide the regulation between government and bank and not in favour of the two. Heavily allowing selfish bankers to regulate money supply is NOT a good thing.

I'm the last to forget the positive Labour has done.
But it is on its last stop on the bus. Its journey is over. UK needs a change, we are tired of the same Government not to mention all the **** ups Labour has done (and there has been alot of them!)

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They're going to lose, I don't doubt that, but they're not out of line with current politics, more out of line with media expectations and public blame game.