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Gordon Brown 'has stopped bouncing'
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor23 Dec 2008
The "Brown bounce" appeared to stop in its tracks today as a poll showed the Conservatives starting to extend their lead over Labour.
The ComRes/Independent survey puts the Tories on 39 per cent, up two points on last month. Labour is down two points to 34 per cent and the Lib Dems down one at 16 per cent.
The poll showed that as they face an economic downturn voters are turning their back on Labour's promise to tax more and spend more on public services. The survey suggested the Conservatives would win a huge majority if tax and spending became a key dividing line at the next election.
When asked how they would vote if the Tories committed themselves to lower public spending than Labour and to try not to raise taxes - David Cameron's current policy - 49 per cent said Tory, 32 per cent Labour and 11 per cent Liberal Democrats.
There was a similar result when people were asked how they would vote if Labour committed itself to higher public spending than the Tories and admitted it was likely to increase some personal taxes - Mr Brown's current position. The figures were: Tory 48 per cent, Labour 30 per cent, Liberal Democrats 13 per cent.
It highlights a crucial change in public mood since the 2001 and 2005 elections, when voters preferred Labour's pledge to invest in public services to Tory tax cuts.
It suggests Gordon Brown, who experienced a surge in the polls as the financial crisis began, should resist thoughts of a snap general election.
When asked how they would vote if the election were held "while the economy was in recession", 39 per cent said Tory, 38 per cent Labour and 14 per cent Liberal Democrat.
If the economy were growing again, 37 per cent said they would vote Tory, 37 per cent Labour and 16 per cent Liberal Democrat.
Reader views (20)
I think John Major was spot on the other week on the Andrew Marr show. Yes there is a world recession but along side this there is a home grown recession. Labour have rather cunningly merged the two in the hope that Browns mismanagement of the economy over the last decade would not be highlighted. His figures do not add up when he says that we have one of the lowest ratio of debt to GDP. By including/deferring some of the debts in the overall figure does not make them disappear. All he is doing is generating a bigger legacy for generations to come.
And by the way the world banking rescue plan was not created by Brown but based on a Swedish model and then touted by Sarcosy before Brown picked up on it, now claiming that he saved the world.
But it goes to prove that if you spin a lie often enough less informed people will believe it.
- R King, UK, 24/12/2008 11:02
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I believe we should bounce him off the top of Big Ben
- James, London UK, 24/12/2008 10:57
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Work for Labour do you Mr Price?
- Nick, cheltenham, 24/12/2008 01:41
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Keith, judging by your unflagging support for socialism, and GB at its head - and your belief that there's enough support for more of the same whenever he decides to put his politics to the ultimate test - well, I'd just like to know who you buy your rose-tinted glasses from. They must be making a killing with the likes of you there. Sounds like a good investment opportunity.
- Rogan, Irving, 23/12/2008 23:51
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Keith Price, Luton - isn't it strange how only Labour and their supporters seem to think the Labour Government are doing a good job. I know Gordon thinks he's "saved the world" but only a mug actually believes it. David Cameron supported the decision to re-capitalise the banks. However all Gordon's decisions since then to give a fiscal stimulus to the economy (eg the £12 billion wasted on reducing VAT) have been the wrong ones - and NOBODY has done the same thing. In fact the IMF have said today that the move on VAT was the WRONG move. The real problem in the UK is not the credit crunch, it's the state of the UK finances that will prevent us from coming out of the recession as quickly as other countries in the developed world because Gordon & his team spent/wasted and saved nothing for the future. You might be self-employed and feel immune and from the chaos you voted for, but not everyone who works in Woolworths or as clerks, administrators & secretary's in the Banks are 'unecessary'. Unless of course you adopt the good old labour principle, so much part of Tone B and Gordon B philosophy, of "I'm alright jack".
- Malcolm, London, 23/12/2008 22:36
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Keith Price, Luton, England, I really don't understand how you can look on the utter economic mayhem and think that Gordon Brown is doing a brilliant job! The country is sinking faster than any other country in the world, we are loading our children up with debts which will enslave them for generations, and austerity in the same vien as the dark miserable days of 1947 is fast approaching. If you think Gordon Brown is doing a brilliant job, please tell us what doing a terrible job involves?
- Peter, london, 23/12/2008 22:24
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"once his house is repossessed and he become jobless, let's see if he still thinks Brown's done a brilliant job."
The jobs lost this year are the unnecessary, unsustainable ones in businesses that have no future. I, myself, am self-employed and fully responsible for my own work, job, profits and future, as I was under the Tories back i thwe 90's. I don't envisage suffering under a Government I voted for, and will support again next time
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 23/12/2008 18:30
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Strange how only the |Tories and their supporters seem to think the Labour Govt arent doing a fine job, especially as the USA are doing the same as us, after following Gordon's lead
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 23/12/2008 18:11
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Neither Brown or mandelson are elected leaders - Uk Economy has been decimiated by Brown's policies - we were the 4th Economy in the world - after 12 years of Brown we're now 159th according to IMF - the whole point of Brown was that the eocnomy was his srong point - the man is a sad deluded loser who should be tried for crimes against domocracy in the UK - Election please now!
- Dave Summer, London, England, 23/12/2008 17:46
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"the length & depth of the recession in the UK is totallu 'home-grown'" !!!
"Gordon as Chancellor has created this problem" !!!
So many errorsd malcolm, I hardly know where to begin.
.
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 23/12/2008 17:45
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Gordon Brown has been doing a brilliant job of consistently raising at least 2 out 3 taxes every year for the past 12 years.
He's also throws more than £100bn into the NHS each year, but shows no sign of any major improvement/efficiency in the service.
- Anonymous, UK, 23/12/2008 17:26
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Keith Price from Luton has had too much crimbo sherry already. Brilliant job?!!! once his house is repossessed and he become jobless, let's see if he still thinks Brown's done a brilliant job.
- Tom, St. Albans, 23/12/2008 17:10
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Keith Price - Luton (where the car factory used to be thanks to Labour's high tax/cost policies on jobs and business) Are your drugs kicking in, or are they wearing off? Please clarify before you show yourself up again.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 23/12/2008 16:49
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Rusty - great comment! Contrasts so well with Nu-Lab drone Keith Price, who splits our sides with 'Gordon, is doing a brilliant job'???
The bounce was merely a dead cat bounce - a prelude to McCavity vanishing for good.
- 45govt, Barbados, 23/12/2008 16:32
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keith, are you stark raving mad brown has bankrupt the country and filled it up the most evil people you could ever think of from the eastern block, are you english or what.
- G.Stocker, ilford essex, 23/12/2008 16:11
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Hey Keith - your real name wouldn't be Gordon Brown would it? You seem to have the same fantasies as he does.
I can understand someone being loyal to their political ideals, whether I disagree with them or not, but you're swimming against the tide here mate. Normal practice calls for you to work at just staying afloat, not sitting on your tyre ring blissfully ignoring the fact of the ever more distant shoreline.
- Rogan, Irving, 23/12/2008 15:45
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Keith Price, London. People like you do really worry me. You're so gullible you seem to believe everything that gordon/Mandleson's spin machine produces. Wake up & smell the coffee - Gordon as Chancellor/PM has created this problem. The credit cruch may have begun in the USA, but the length & depth of the recession in the UK is totallu 'home-grown'. We're having to borrow up to £3 trillion to fund Brown's recovery plan because he's spent everything during the 'good' years on aborted/failed policies. What's needed now is a "Loan Guarantee Scheme" to get banks lending to businesses - as proposed by David Cameron. Wasting another £12 billion on reducing VAT by 2.5% is totally useless. gordon says Tory's are the "do nothing party" when in fact they are the "reality" party. Everyone who borrowed too much & thought the housing bubble was impenetrable (let's call them the "imprudent") have learned a sharp lesson. As a society we now have to go through the pain of a recession. We simply can't spend our way out of it the way Gordon/Alistair are suggesting. They didn'r see this coming (as the Deputy Govenor of the Bank of England has admitted). What makes you think that this shower can see the way out. Wake up Keith, before it's too late. I'm not a dyeed in the wool Tory, but we might as well give them a chance. Labour certaily won't work.
- Malcolm, London, England, 23/12/2008 15:13
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Go now Brown and try to retain at least a shred of dignity after you and Blair have almost destroyed the Country. You have NOT be voted in and you are NOT wanted.
- Roger, Surrey, 23/12/2008 14:51
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Gordon is doing a brilliant job, even if the opposition leader has down a one-eighty degree somersault , and decided to oppose his US-backed economic policies
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 23/12/2008 12:49
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If he's stopped bouncing then find a higher building to throw him off of.....
- Rusty Shackleford, UK, 23/12/2008 11:13
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