The Osborne Economic Miracle Continues...

[Gromit]

Back in Q1 2010 UK Growth was 0.6%
- the fourth consecutive monthly rise.

Figure just release show Q1 2015 UK Growth was 0.3%
- the fourth consecutive monthly fall.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32493745

Is it little wonder that the Conservatives are not fighting the election on their economic record over the last 5 year?

[ToraToraTora]

you are getting desperate gromit! Looks like Ed's blown it and we are going to have the Dave and Geroge show for another parliament.

[Gromit]

You really think the Conservative Party will stick with the same leader if they fail to get a majority for a second time?

Boris or Theresa had better not book their summer holidays.

[ToraToraTora]

well if he ends up in No10 gromit, yes. Ed, can't get here unless he lets Sturgeon sick her hand up his jumper so I'd say Cameron will still be PM even without a majority.

[Gromit]

Tora,

Maggie was removed when she became a lame duck Prime Minister. The Tories are ruthless, if Cameron does not get a majority, he will be out on his ear.

[ToraToraTora]

yes, mid term gromit, not 5 minutes after getting back in. I do not rule out a leadership change in 2018 if Dave gets back on May 7th.

[Old_Geezer]

Hardly a miracle. Progress has been slower than desired.

Still I suspect the incumbent party will still be in power after the election albeit without a majority again. Basically because the other major party have not managed to make sufficient capital to decide it's worth the change; plus the losses to the SNP doesn't help the cause.

Still be optimistic and look on the bright side. Maybe UKIP will win by a landslide and sort out the major issue in their one term.

[naomi24]

Dave's already said that if the Conservatives are re-elected he won't serve more than two terms.

[New Judge]

Meanwhile, back to the question.

The government (mainly the Conservatives) has never said that the recovery can be taken for granted. The country's finances are still in a very parlous state. Public spending is still far too high. Payments to service debt are enormous; welfare payments, especially made to those in work, are excessive; overseas aid payments have been ring-fenced for some ridiculous inexplicable reason; red tape (mainly EU generated) is stifling growth, especially among small businesses; taxes of all types are far too high.

Of course we'd all be much better off under an alternative government which would tax and spend even more excessively without consideration of where the "growth" will come from.

[DTCwordfan]

Who said that the Cons are not fighting on the economy. The BBC reported that this will be the key plank of Cameron et al's push in the next week, the point spread between them and the Lab lot widening even more.....I got 15-2 on a Tory majority last week, fingers crossed.

[Psybbo]

DTC, even I wouldn't gamble on that!

[New Judge]

Yes you're quite right, DTC.

The economy is the one thing that just about everybody (including many Labour supporters) agree that the Conservatives are best placed to handle successfully.

[DTCwordfan]

a fiver, Psybbs - Labour were at 22 to 1.....

[Orderlimit]

What I've seen in the last year or two is more apprenticeships and work being advertised locally, long term unemployed youths now in good jobs and employee's being offered lots of well paid overtime to meet new contracts /demands. Whether this observation is just regional I don't know but I think they have done very well.