Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Christmas has come early for the Labour Party. Last week, its two top-dollar American advisers, David Axelrod and Larry Grisolano, flew in to town for their first visit in months.
The arrival of the Americans, who helped steer Obama to his two presidential election victories, perked up the Labour leadership and convinced them that they can still win next May.
But Axelrod arrived with a warning: he has told them when it comes to the economy, they have to ‘do the whole shebang’.
Christmas has come early for the Labour Party after its two top-dollar American advisers, David Axelrod (right) and Larry Grisolano, flew in to town last week for their first visit to Ed Miliband (left) in monthsAxelrod’s presence has had a galvanising effect on Ed Miliband, who relishes their political chats. The American might only have been in town for four nights but the Labour leader still managed to fit in five meetings with him.
And Labour will be seeing a lot more of Axelrod: he’s pledged to come over every month between now and the start of the General Election campaign.
With his bitter rival from the Obama campaign, Jim Messina, working for the Tories, this campaign is going to have a distinctly American accent to it.
In his flying visit, Axelrod doled out liberal quantities of advice and encouragement. As well as his meetings with Miliband, he spent much time closeted away with Douglas Alexander, chief architect of Labour’s General Election campaign.
Axelrod was adamant that Labour cannot cede economic competence to the Tories. One senior figure tells me that he told the Labour leadership that it has ‘to take them square on’. He argued that they shouldn’t worry about where public opinion is now, but about where they need to get it to.
The Yanks have perked up Ed Miliband and have convinced Labour they can win next May's electionIt’s a strategy that may have worked for Obama, the great persuader, but I suspect he doesn’t get how hard it will be for Ed Miliband and Ed Balls to change voters’ minds.
Miliband, though, rates his own chances. He’s convinced the Autumn Statement earlier this month has given Labour an opening to argue that the Tories are hellbent on an ideological mission to cut back the state, to return Britain to 1930s levels of spending.
He thinks Cameron has ceded his trump card – his claim to be a pragmatic leader who is just doing what’s necessary to balance the books.
One of those closest to him tells me Miliband ‘is in a much better place than he has been for a long time’. It’s a polite way of saying the Labour leader has regained his confidence – so hit by the debacle of his conference speech, where he famously forgot to mention the deficit.
Miliband will address another Labour weakness when he unveils the party’s manifesto pledge on immigration tomorrow. He wants to get this out of the way now, so that in the New Year he can go on the attack on the NHS and living standards.
The Tories have been riled by Miliband’s latest sallies. One Cameron ally fumes: ‘He’s trying to project that we’re trying to take people back to bare feet and rickets. It is a complete fallacy.’
Some senior Tories, though, are urging Cameron to tackle this head on and ram home the point that the Tories only intend to return state spending to 2002 levels – when Gordon Brown was Chancellor and Ed Balls was advising him.
In a sign of how eager the Tories are to keep the focus on the economy, both Cameron and Osborne will give speeches on it on Monday. Their message will be that Labour would borrow and tax more.
But Osborne will also challenge Miliband on whether he would repay any of the national debt. As one source puts it: ‘If you are not going to pay down your debts after seven years of growth, then you are never going to.’
Ultimately, this argument is going to come down to something very simple: who do the voters trust more on the economy? Miliband and Balls? Or Cameron and Osborne?
According to the latest polling, the Labour duo trail by more than 15 points on this issue. And this is the deficit that Miliband urgently needs to address if he is to justify Axelrod’s confidence in him.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will meet David Cameron for the first time on MondayDave can expect no mercy from Braveheart Nicola
Monday will see the first meeting between the new Scottish First Minister and the British Prime Minister. The pair will meet in Downing Street.
David Cameron and Nicola Sturgeon had some contact when she was Deputy First Minister. She was in charge of negotiating with the British Government on how the Edinburgh Agreement on the referendum would be run.
But those close to the Prime Minister admit he does not know her well.
The worry for Cameron has to be that with the SNP riding high in the polls, he might – if re-elected – have to go through the agonies of a second Scottish referendum campaign.
Certainly, Cameron can expect no quarter from Sturgeon. She is not only as tough and wily as her predecessor Alex Salmond – but her Braveheart beats just as loudly.
Home is where the votes are ...
David Cameron is so concerned home ownership is falling that on Monday he’ll bring forward a plan for discounted homes for young, first-time buyers.
The scheme, which had originally been planned for the Tory manifesto, will see first-time buyers under 40 offered a 20 per cent discount on 100,000 new homes. The Government hopes this scheme will be up and running before the Election.
Senior Tories believe that this scheme, combined with Help to Buy and the new Stamp Duty changes, will show that they are on the side of those who want to get on in life.
They won’t forget to mention that this is only possible because they have pulled the public finances back from the chaos of 2010.
Why the rush? Because Cameron – like Margaret Thatcher and Harold Macmillan before him – knows that when Tories help people own their own homes, they win elections.
Pippa Middleton says her behind has enjoyed fame but that 'Rear of 2014' goes to Kim KardashianQuotes of the week
‘The CIA’s actions are a stain on our values and our history.’
US senator Dianne Feinstein, who championed a report into the CIA’s use of torture after 9/11.
‘We asked the agency to take steps to catch the b******s who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 and that is exactly what they did. They deserve a lot of credit.’
Dick Cheney, who was Vice President at the time.
‘Is this Question Time or is it in fact Jeremy Kyle? Will Dimblebot announce that Farage is Brand’s father?’
Twitter user Dr Sarah Quinnell as Nigel Farage and Russell Brand clashed in a heated episode of the programme chaired by David Dimbleby.
'The "Rear of 2014" undoubtedly goes to Kim Kardashian. I must say that mine - though it has enjoyed fleeting fame - is not comparable.'
Pippa Middleton happily relinquishes her crown.
‘From the tips of her favourite nude shoes to the top of his Homer Simpson forehead, Kate and Wills have proved themselves to be as dull, dull, dull as Windsor moat water.’
Columnist Jan Moir, in a scathing critique of the ‘bland’ Royal couple.
‘Dustin, it’s been a great experience and I’m going to spread the word that you’re a smashing little actor.’
Comic actor James Corden cheekily bids Dustin Hoffman farewell after bonding on the set of Esio Trot.
‘One argument says, “We are a small island, not much room”. On the other hand, there is masses of room. The urbanised part of Surrey occupies less of Surrey than golf courses.’
Professor Stephen Nickell says immigration is largely insignificant to the state of the economy.
‘No sing! No sing!’
The toddler Chelsea Clinton when mother Hillary sang to her, as recalled by the ex-First Lady last week.
‘I survived nine years in the Public Accounts Committee, and I just about managed not to play computer games, but my God it was boring.’
Sir Edward Leigh MP, defends fellow Tory Nigel Mills, who was pictured playing Candy Crush in the Work and Pensions Committee.
‘My advice is don’t breastfeed – it’s a dreadful practice. My nanny said it was disgusting.’
HRH Princess Michael of Kent, on breastfeeding in public.
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