The General Election 2015. My thoughts #2

It's the economy, stupid.

As ever, when he could keep his dick in his pants, Bill Clinton got it right.

Labour in 2015 got it wrong.

But the mistake happened not during the election but way back in 2010. Then, as they concentrated on electing Ed Miliband as their leader, the Conservatives, with the help of the media, concentrated on creating a lie.

The lie was; Labour's profligate social spending cause the economic depression.

It was a bit lie. And like all big lies, the more you repeat it, the truer it gets.

Ignore the avariciousness oft the bankers, desperate for their bonuses.

Forget that the economic collapse started in America.

Don't bother with reading any of the major world economists on why the economy slumped.

Just blame Labour for spending too much.

It's a brilliant lie because it works on so many levels.

Politically, it calls into doubt Labour's management of the economy, despite 13 years of non-stop growth.

Economically, it allows them to introduce austerity. A policy that 99% of economists agree is the wrong way to combat a slump.

Idealogically, it allows them to roll back the state, reducing spending on social services, the poor, schools, hospitals, libraries, and all the rest of the stuff that civilised societies provide.

They created a narrative, a story, that people believed. And still believed in 2015.

So, come the election, it's too late for Ed Miliband to defend the economic record of Labour. it was too late. Far, far too late. All the damage had already been done.

It's the economy, stupid.