Friday, March 05, 2010

Labour Sinking

Labour's comeback in the polls seems to be fading in recent polls, this is despite a week when the Conservative Party has been receiving a roasting in the media over Lord Ashcroft's tax status.

If he did promise to become a UK resident for tax purposes but didn't then that is wrong but I find it difficult to feel outraged over him not paying tax on earnings from outside the UK. He is paying tax on his UK earnings and that seems right to me. Ashcroft is an obsession for the BBC, the Guardian and the Times, yet judging by the most popular stories on their websites it isn't an obsession shared by their readers.

4 comments:

banned said...

As you say "Ashcroft is an obsession for the BBC, the Guardian and the Times", I've never met anyone who cares.

Matthew said...

It's really about William Hague, isn't it? One gets the impression, given he didn't ask Ashcroft over those 10 years what his tax status was, that he is a bit scared or at best in awe of rich and powerful people - neither trait what you want in a foreign secretary, and one that gives you an uncomfortable reminder of his disastrous leadership.

Tim Almond said...

The main thing to note (and you'll only read it on places like PB and blogs) is that there has been polling done in marginals and that this is showing approximately a 2% higher swing than in the national polls.

Labour may be holding up stronger in its heartlands than elsewhere (but heartlands don't matter).

Ross said...

Banned- there's an article in the Grauniad today bemoaning that no one cares about Ashcroft.

Matthew- Hague's responsibility expired in 2001 surely.

Joseph- Yes, there is never a uniform swing. In 2001 the national swing to the tories came to nothing because it was in the wron gseats, this time it will be in the right seats.