Tim Montgomerie
Ed Balls writes for The Sun this morning and recommends four things that the Chancellor should do in his forthcoming budget:
My guess is that the two measurable things on that list – the first two – will happen. When George Osborne announced his extra bank levy I speculated that he would use this extra money to bring a little relief to motorists. It's unfortunate if a fleet-of-foot opposition will now claim to be leading public opinion on this matter.
The cost of living, including petrol prices, is clearly going to be a key Labour theme. Ed Miliband is returning to his squeezed middle theme in a speech later today.
Labour's political weakness is that it is still acting as an irresponsible opposition. Despite secretly planning cuts Labour will neither (1) spell out how they would cut nor (2) support some of the Coalition's cuts in the national interest. The irresponsibility of that position stinks.