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Government must brace itself for a challenging 2014

Shocking result: A survey yesterday put the negative ratings of David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband at the lowest cumulative rating, a staggering -121 per cent. The three main party leaders are collectively the least popular in the history of polling
David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg (Image: Mail Online)
The annual political party conference season has been over for more than a week and between then and now, I have given myself time to reflect on the speeches that were made by leaders and key figures, and the stories which overshadowed the conferences. With just over 18 months until the general election to go, we are all on the edge of their seats as it's game on in the political boxing ring.

It is certainly true that this year's party conferences made great television. The Conservative conference in Manchester intrigued me. Statistically, they've had a satisfactory year as the party in power. We're no longer in recession; the unemployment rate is slipping while crime is hitting new lows, despite heavy cuts to the police force. This is a recognisable contrast to a disastrous 2011 when everything was going wrong for Britain. As the saying goes, 'things get worse before they get better'. Well, that's what Gordon Brown wanted to say but he was ousted from 10 Downing Street as soon as things were getting better three-and-a-half years ago.

The Conservative party's three main guys were the main focus of their conference. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson got people up on their feet, made them laugh. Chancellor George Osborne got people up on their feet, made them laugh. Prime Minister David Cameron whined about Labour's weaknesses, and then got people up on their feet, made them laugh. It was like watching the political version of Live at the Apollo. I was expecting Michael McIntyre to pop up from nowhere but Karren Brady filled in. The entire conference seemed so relaxed it almost felt as if they were still on summer vacation. The Conservatives were comfortable, perhaps too comfortable.

David Cameron and co may have reasons to feel 2013 was a successful year, but they need to brace themselves for 2014. A year from now, United Kingdom could lose out on Scottish income as Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond's seeks an independent Scotland. The country has been a great source of income for the UK and the possibility of losing out on large profits can be calamitous for the country. Westminster is obviously concerned about Salmond's intentions and this week, the government has announced in their recent reshuffle a new Scottish minister in a fresh attempt to convince the people in Scotland to resist the temptation of becoming independent.

Another reason why the government may need to worry about 2014 is that the profits of London 2012 Olympic Games gained would soon vanish. The boom of tourism Britain has witnessed over the past 18 months would slow down at some point next year and I doubt we'd ever have another glorious summer weather-wise for a long time. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow may attract more tourists next summer but if Scotland were to become independent 12 months from now, I'm sure the Scottish government wouldn't want to give away the profits gained in this event away to Westminster in a hurry. I fear 2013 economically will be a fluke. For the sake of the people of Britain, I hope it isn't.

Besides, if 2013 isn't to be a fluke, I'm unsure if the 'undecided' voters would support this coalition government come 2015. Despite the unemployment rate decreasing, there are still 2.5 million people without a job - and David Cameron has supported George Osborne's announcement that those who haven't worked for a long time and claim benefits, would get their money taken from them until they find something. The Prime Minister also backs the Chancellor's plans to ensure the long term unemployed must undertake community service like litter picking or compulsory Monday-Friday 9-5 job centre sessions until they find a job.

Life for the 2.5 million looks set to be made even more difficult and recent policy changes wouldn't do any favours to their image. The Conservatives seem to think the 2.5 million are without work because they're lazy. It can be argued that some may be correctly perceived this way, but on the other hand, the government must consider that perhaps the 2.5 million lack the moral support which encourages them to find work. Every single one of the 2.5 million wants a job - I know they do - but the job centre needs to do more to help those who obviously need it. Encourage some to go back to education - there is no disgrace in doing your GCSEs again after the age of 16. Encourage internships and apprenticeships, even if they are temporary. Employers in this day and age only judge future employees initially by their CVs. They will not consider a candidate who just as well submits an empty piece of paper as their application. Job Centres must do more than make people sign a small sheet of paper. It is so degrading.

Never mind. I'm sure sorting out the benefits system would be no problem for the Liberal Democrats, who hold a small influence in the coalition government. The likes of their leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander have boasted the party's role since 2010, claiming they're the reason why Britain is on the road to economy recovery. They may have had a bigger say on government policy than the media anticipated, but the Liberal Democrats must dream on. Nick Clegg looks like a child whose been sent to the naughty corner when he appears every week on Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs). He's just good at delivering speeches. Little does he realise, voters won't fall for his drivel second time around.
Nigel Farage and Godfrey Bloom (Image: politicalscrapbook.net)

The Liberal Democrats have become so unpopular they are behind the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in most opinion polls. Their leader Nigel Farage has thoroughly enjoyed 2013 as he is developing a vision to turn his party to be a force reckoned with. His party had their one-day-long conference televised across most, if not all British news channels. Things were going so well for Nigel Farage until one of his members popped the balloons in their imaginary celebrations. Godfrey Bloom, an Independent Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and UKIP nut, not only branded women as 'sluts', during his speech at this conference, moments after, he assaulted a journalist who was accused by Mr Bloom of being 'racist' when the reporter noticed the lack of multiculturalism in the MEP's brochure. This completely overshadowed Mr Farage's moment in the media spotlight.

Godfrey Bloom has a habit of ruining Nigel Farage's day. Earlier this year, soon after UKIP's successful local election campaign, Mr Bloom said some people in Britain should return to 'bongo bongo' land, indirectly referencing immigrants. UKIP is known to be against immigration and are notoriously sceptical of the European Union. To save face, Nigel Farage showed Godfrey Bloom the door after publicly condemning Mr Bloom's comments, although I suspect in the quiet, Mr Farage agrees with every word Mr Bloom has said.

UKIP may have some reasons to be cheerful, but they're not likely to affect Labour's performance in the 2015 general elections. Many critics say their leader Ed Miliband came out the strongest out of the other leaders. He did come out strong. His speech saw him not on a normal stage but in the centre of an audience, circled around him. His confidence showed, emphasising Britain 'can do better than this' in relation to the economy and the welfare system. He's been a campaigner of the latter as he noticed the average wage, although increasing slightly, is still not enough to meet current financial demands. With energy prices increasing dramatically and VAT and tax considerably high, some are living tight.

The cost of living in recent years has given Ed Miliband a twitch. This provoked him to announce that if he's in power come 2015, he will freeze energy bills for households across the UK for 20 months. This announcement has been received with mixed messages. Home owners love the idea understandably, however, economic commentators have caught Mr Miliband's twitch. They don't think it's a good idea at all because as soon as the 20 months end, energy rates will rocket to unaffordable prices. I think this won't be the only economic policy they'll announce so it's best to hear them out before jumping into the 'let's start ranting for no reason' bandwagon.

The energy price freeze announcement has gotten some to say this Labour party will take the UK back to the 1970s. I never lived in the 70s so I can't judge but if the media hated that decade, then so must we - even if women's equality improved in the workplace compared to the 1960s, even if the decade graced us with the Osmonds, Jaws and PCs. Having said that, people compare the Conservative party policies to those of the Victorian Age - a time when you could die of a cold. Basically, the media is telling us there is no leader capable of leading Britain like it's 2013.

However, Labour's energy price freeze didn't catch people's attention for long as soon afterwards, many decided to dedicate their hours slamming the Daily Mail for the paper's views on Ed Miliband's father, Ralph. Miliband Senior was a Marxist when he was alive, but to the Daily Mail, this meant he 'hated Britain'. According to the newspaper, Ralph Miliband hated the UK because he wasn't in full support of the royal family, and apparently wanted Britain to lose a few meaningless wars. If this is what constitutes as someone who 'hates Britain', then a lot of Britons will hate the country they actually love. It was a nonsense speculation to blurt out and I can see why Ed Miliband would be upset about this. However, I don't understand why the general public would be disgusted by the Daily Mail.

The Daily Mail is the second most read newspaper in the UK, behind the equally outrageous Sun paper, while Mail Online is the most popular news site in the world. It may not be the most trustworthy source of information, but people still read the paper and their Ralph Miliband scoop will only get more people talking about them - exactly what editor Paul Dacre's intentions were. He doesn't care what people say about his paper, as long as it sells, he doesn't give a damn about the content - as long as it's jaw-dropping, he's fine. It doesn't make it morally right, but the boost of sales is welcomed for the Daily Mail.

To me, there wasn't a clear stand-out party in these conferences as boasting about their last twelve months achievements isn't going to convince the undecided. Who has the upper-hand so far in the run up to the 2015 elections, your guess is better than mine.

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