I am sure the libdems don’t want anyone, especially low and middle incomes to be worse off as a result of their actions and certainly not disproportionately hit. I imagine the Conservatives feel the same, although with some of them I wonder.
But the facts speak for themselves and to start trying to blame the IFS after having held them up as a benchmark of objectivity is to put it politely wishful thinking. It made me question Clegg’s integrity but on balance I think it’s poor judgement. I know it’s hard to admit you’ve been wrong – I’m thinking about this in the Labour leadership election*.
However surely he can see he’s being dragged into making ludicrous statements. Nick Clegg in this video clip says “We want to get people off benefits and into work. That is a plan for real fairness”. Wanting something isn’t a plan.
“I want Labour to win 500 seats in the next general election and to ensure that all bankers work for the good of society not for greed. That is a plan for a real change in the political and financial situation” NO IT’S NOT!
Come on, surely the Conservatives and Libdems between them can come up with a better defence of their actions than this?
*thought I would vote EdM now thinking Andy Burnham…
“Wanting something isn't a plan” – spot on!
And how refreshing to see a member and representative of a political party examining and discussing the actions of people from other parties on their merits rather than having a knee-jerk reaction that they must be wrong because it's a rival party and digging up some rhetorical debating-society device to attack them with.
thanks for the compliment, although it's a bit depressing that the level of political debate is such that what I thought was a fairly negative post can attract that kind of comment.
I guess us politicians need to practice what we preach and make an effort to attack policies not people!