More Tory cuts and more duplicity to follow

Yet more of the country`s assets are to be sold off, no doubt at knock-down price, for one purpose only, an election victory in 2015 for the Tories. (Morning Star,05/12/13) In their desperation to rise in the polls, and fear that Miliband is out-gunning them on the cost of living issue, there is clearly no limit to what they are prepared to promise, and, similarly what their allies in the City are willing to commit themselves to contribute, as long as they get their election result. The Tories might, as Osborne says, get "massive votes of confidence"  from financial institutions; well they would, wouldn`t they, as it is they who win obscene amounts of taxpayers` money for guessing, sorry advising, the best price at which to sell assets already owned by all of the people to some of the people? Whether the, electorate  will believe the Tories again, any more than they would Nick Clegg, is a different matter.

     We can expect more of the same from the Tories in the run-up to the election; selling off public-owned institutions at low prices, so ordinary small investors` votes can be bought with small profits, leaving the City firms to clean up and make vast profits for years to come. Infrastructure spending from this government will be concentrated on the south, as Tories will see no point in investing in areas where the majority will vote Labour, or even not vote at all. Expect, too, lots of blather about reducing unemployment, but Osborne cannot allow it to fall below 700,000 as it would trigger an increase in interest rates, and therefore the mortgage rates of potential voters.

       Labour must beware of Tory duplicity, as Cameron and Osborne can promise to do anything after 2015; if the election is lost, they won`t have to do anything; if they win, Tory strategy, as we know, is to ignore all the pledges made in the manifesto. Just as they have just done, the Tories` first step after the election will be to erase everything they`ve promised off the internet!.Funny how Keynesian policies like designating £375bn for infrastructure is perfectly okay just before the election, but just after such spending is an anathema. Miliband is leaving himself very little time to woo voters, as soon, all of the obviously populist policies will be in the Tories` manifesto! He could start by making pledges relating to the minimum wage, a progressive tax system, rent caps, social housing  and a state-owned bank.