Lifer, have a read of Hopi Sen, (Labour blogger, nominated for the Orwell Prize for Journalism last year) he’s always worth reading. I’d suggest that the public have not bought the Miliband brand, Labour might be a few points ahead in the polls but EMili is not percieved as Prime Minister material. And until Labour admit they shouldnt have run up a structural deficit going into a slow-down the public will not trust them on the economy. Anyway….Hopi Sen (thats really his name)
I would argue that the crucial barrier for Labour today is doubt over whether we would handle the economy competently, with a special focus on how we would reduce deficits over time.
I see this in the amazing consistency in the public view on deficit reduction (necessary, yet being done wrongly) and in the way people assent to our basic policy position, but reject Labour as a means for delivering that position.
This all combines with doubt over the capability, not just of our leadership, but of really the whole approach of the party, to fundamental economic questions.
In other words, we have become toxic on a crucial area of political support, and while that situation holds, no amount of correct mood reading will alter our basic political position.
For me, this is the best argument to explain why, despite being on the side of seventy per cent of the public on a whole range of issues, from phone hacking to energy prices to the need for growth, Labour and Ed Miliband have barely improved our position at all over the last year.
http://hopisen.com/2011/the-public-mood/