Who do you vote for when they're all the same?

I've done a short piece on the Lib Dems from my point of view here.

Short because I believe they're toast and rightly so.

Labour is likely to form the next government in the UK, so I felt that I should do something on them too, perhaps in more depth. I'm a Tory by instinct but not by any kind of tribalist belief; this is intended to be objective, but obviously I am somewhat biased. Let's see...

It was of course so much easier to define ones options on politics during the 70s and 80s. The Tories were essentially about business, wealth creation, low taxes, small government, police and defense, enabling the 'haves' to drag up the 'have nots' through prosperity, achievement and sustainable employment.

Labour was essentially about the 'workers', socialism, the welfare state, the NHS, wealth redistribution, taking from the 'haves' and giving to the 'have nots'.

Then came Maggie who, faced with a basket case economy, ditched many of the union-run inefficient, insolvent industries and, whatever you might think of her personally, delivered an upturn in our economy that was as essential as it was breathtaking. She might have sacked your grandad, but she re-established Britain on the word stage as a competitive economy. That simply would not have happened under a Labour government with its short termist union-driven policies at the time.

And then came Mr Tony, who was Machiavellian in his thirst for power. Without whom Labour would probably have disappeared as a credible alternative government in the UK. He embraced business, broke many of the cast iron Union dominations (Clause 4) of the past because he knew that they were an anachronism. An approach that was well past its sell-by date.

New Labour was essentially standing on the same middle ground as the Tories on almost every issue that faced the country and because every government runs out of steam eventually, he got the Tory voter to tick his box on the ballot paper, not just because it was 'time for a change' but because he represented the bright new future for the country, just as Maggie had done before.

He built upon her legacy, repealed almost none of her far-reaching legislation and continued the drive for the UK to be a business-led player on an increasingly global economic stage. There were of course tinkerings to pacify the 'traditional' left but essentially Mr Blair was the son of Thatcher. Not easy reading for Labour supporters I concede, but true nonetheless.

The trouble was that he cared more about looking good (spin and statistics) than actually solving problems and raising standards. He was not prepared to tackle unpopular issues (defense equipment, the NHS failings, educational standards) but preferred to spin his way out of problems, meaning that they would eventually come home to roost. And how.

Then we had Mr Brown. A man less equipped for high, public facing office, more lacking in charisma, less personable, less likeable as a fellow human being, is difficult to envisage. A blip really in our history. It is perhaps a small comfort to think that the British people never actually voted him in as Prime Minister.

I'm not going to Labour the point ;) about his 'achievements'. There's no need. You might feel that you didn't want to read any further if I were to do so. You know what he was (in your heart of hearts). An unmitigated disaster for the UK and (I would argue) the globe. He abolished boom and bust - and as even Peter Mandelson has said, he was half right.

So where are we now? It's difficult really, isn't it?

Because Labour has moved so far to the right and the Tories have moved so far to the left, that they're almost indistinguishable from each other. It's deeply unsatisfying for the principled voter (whoever he is - I'm not sure he exists - or can exist - any more). 'Yes, we are all individuals'...... 'Im not'.

However, even if you're firmly on the centre ground now (whilst sticking to your grandad's Thatcher bashing and 'Nasty Party' nonesense down the pub), there are a couple of things that you should (but probably won't) factor in to your decision-making processes when next you have that pencil and ballot paper in your hand:

And, just to tease you with another caveat before I deliver the 'beans', much of this depends upon how you look at the world and the UK's place in it. Actually that's not quite true. Much of it depends upon whether you consider those issues at all, or not. It really depends upon whether you take the broader view about the country being successful, competitive, prosperous, or the short-term 'what's in it for me now and next week' view. The former approach is Maggie and to a lesser extent Tony, the latter is the Unions of the 1970s.

The problem is (swear word approaching) that many, if not most people, take the ungenerous latter view. Which is just fucking selfish and stupid in the extreme and makes me incandescent with rage and despair for our country. Long term prosperity and success for us and our kids is so much more valuable than having a couple of quid more next week to (let's just say) waste. But many people simply cannot see that and it's a crying shame.

So, the 'beans'. And taking account of my longer-term 'country-before-self' view (which means sustainable prosperity not short term selfish 'tokens') I'd ask you to consider this:

Because this is truly the difference between the Tories and Labour now. It's not ideology or their left-or-right stance on the political spectrum. The differences are no longer fundamental. It's not about where the front benches went to school - Labour's front bench has as many privately educated 'toffs' as the Tories' so off you fuck with that argument. They're all non-real-job-non-real-world-experience people now. Career politicians who all think they can ride rough-shod over voter's views.

The difference is, purely and simply, 'competence'.

Ask yourself this: Which party of the centre ground (Labour or Tory - they're indistinguishable after all) will face up to the problems we face? Which party will recognise the problems, admit to them and address them? Which party will try to solve the problems we face as a nation and as individuals, will try to address the bigger issues instead of trying to hide them?

Which party will risk unpopularity for the greater good of the nation? Which party will address the unsustainable welfare state (for example), try to address the Welfare trap that so many of our young people find themselves in, and which one will, having recognised the undoubted problem (Frank Field reported as much to Mr Tony in 2004), then try to spin and hide it?

Which party will not accept the reality of our internationally falling standards of education and try to do something about it (against the 'lowest common denominator' approach of our powerful teaching unions) rather than lower standards so it looks good?

Which party will address the failings of our 'envy of the world' NHS instead of trying to hide them?

Which party will send our brave young people into (a questionable at best) conflict with woefully inadequate equipment? And which will address the massive black hole of MoD finances? And invest, urgently in new, 'fit-for-purpose' kit?

In short, which party will grasp the nettle and which party will try to deny that the nettle exists?

We know, don't we, that Labour is completely incompetent when it comes to our economy and finances, but they're so much more than that.

So is it grandad down the pub and next week's welfare cheque that drives you and your vote, or is it the future of this country and our kids? It really is up to you.

What a frightening thought.

I'll add one more thought here if I may. This has been a blog about who one might vote for next time and I haven't mentioned the EU once. However the fact is that if we don't have a referendum and then don't exit the shambolic EU, none of this will really matter. We'll have ceased to be a nation state at which point, quite frankly, you could vote for a prominent local tree and it would have as much meaningful power to deliver the UK's influence on the world and to reflect your local, national and international issues.

It's the biggest issue we currently face in the world and we're sleepwalking into losing our ability to govern ourselves. More here and here. That should also be a factor in your choice about who you vote for next time. After the European elections on May 28th, I expect all major parties to commit to a referendum (not the Lib Dems of course but I did say 'major parties'). At which point it will come down, once again, to competence.

Sleep well.

And thanks for reading.