Which is more important now: political reform or the economy?

[FrakkinTheReturningOfficer]

Political reform is going to be bad for the economy, in the short term at least.

Sorting out the economy probably means putting political reform on hold.

Which would you choose?

Heck no, XX here!

Who controls whom?

The interest the UK pays on it's debt is based on the price of UK gilts. The linked diagram shows how the price of gilts tracked yesterdays election dramas. Our political actions directly determine the cost of our debt. Of course if we didn't have so much debt then it won't be such an influence.

www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/paulmason/

"policywonk I agree with you, the concentration on finance is too great in this country. But why didn't Labour, with their espousal of socialism and championing of the working classes, do something to turn things around?"

Labour sold out decades ago, one Harold Wilson was the start...

The Tories just haven't found a formula that appeals to more than the well off 30pc

...and yet they managed to get 35% of the public vote?

exactly Coolfonz, and all the Labour supporters are deluded as they join hands and sing the 'Red Flag' with tears in their eyes, while their leaders shaft them again and again, as they carry out the wishes of the capitalists. Mrs. Duffy's union official father used to proudly sing the 'Red Flag', I hope Mrs. Duffy no longer sings it.

To attempt to follow TDiddy and Frakkin's good examples and drag myself back to the OP... if the markets see that whoever forms the next government has a coherent plan for addressing the deficit, I don't believe that there's going to be a huge problem in the short term. They will be too busy pinning Portugal and Italy up against a wall and stealing their lunch money - we are insulated to some extent by our non-Euro status. So I just don't think that it has to be one or the other, even in the short term.

Yeah I'm a bloke, the Coolest of the Fonzs, as per my title.

TDiddy, it's not only Labour, of course the Tories are the same.

I'm not a bloke - nor are most people on this thread AFAIK. Why?

"if the markets see that whoever forms the next government has a coherent plan for addressing the deficit,"

Pretty big if....(at the moment)

Nick, Dave, Gordon? You're all reading this, right? And taking notes?

Soz i just wondered who i was arguing with...pls carry on!

EdgarAllenPoll

"The Tories just haven't found a formula that appeals to more than the well off 30pc

...and yet they managed to get 35% of the public vote? "

a bit pednatic of you hear! Murdoch carries the ignorant 5pc for them

policywonk I agree with you, the concentration on finance is too great in this country.

the economy is the one deciding factor in everything -

want to do something about health? you need money!
want to do something about education...you need money!
want to do something about crime, or poverty, or anything else you care to mention...it takes money..

a healthy economy generates the money to fund all these things. without one, the nation just digs itself into a hole of debt, or stops attempting any of the above.

This is why Labour embraced the free-market in the end - as a means to the wealth necessary to drive its social reform agenda. And then it borrowed as well....(oh, and it wasn't electable whilst still embracing a socialist agenda.)

EdgarAllenPoll, you're right, I meant the financial sector rather than finance.

This country has always been controlled by the financial sector, ever since the industrial revolution. It was engineers from the North of England and Scotland that gave us the railways, the bridges and so much else. The City, even then, invested so much of the money abroad instead. Our finest minds still go into the City, due to the astronomical salaries, whilst our other industries are neglected. We are in hoc to the City and so was Gordon Brown. It is not healthy, but I don't think it will change.

hey, what about me!? im coalescing!

in hock

i think the claig geezer is on board as well.

see, wisdom of crowds...

agree with you LeninGrad,
but what about the lawyers like Cherie Blair?
Why does no one talk about what they earn?

...and yet they managed to get 35% of the public vote? "

a bit pednatic of you hear! Murdoch carries the ignorant 5pc for them

the area i live in is not, as the South coast goes, particularly wealthy (high proportion of retired people and starter families,) - but it is a conservative safe seat. i think you need to change your preconceptions abot why people vote Conservative.