What we need now …
… is a by-election – ideally in a Liberal Democrat-held seat or at least a Conservative-held seat.
In the ‘old days’ of British politics, typically there used to be three or four by-elections a year. These days, Members of Parliament tend to be younger and healthier so there is less death or serious illness. But, of course, there’s always the chance of scandal or an MP wishing to spend more time with his or her family.
We could then test how the Coalition Government and its programme of a rapid and deep cut in the deficit is really viewed by the electorate. Failing that, all we have is opinion polls but the latest shows Labour in the lead for the first time in three years. This finding must have stuck in the throat of the “Sun” newspaper which commissioned the poll.
It’s an encouraging background to the first full speech by new Labour leader Ed Miliband at this afternoon’s Labour Party Conference.