Sam, £20 billion, is that all?You got my vote, phew! There I was worried about the deficit. "Get Real" to use Brown's words.The problem with elections, as bad as this may read, is that "we the people" don't want the truth, particularly if there is a rosier alternative. We could easily stomach bad news if the alternatives were equally gloomy, but that's not politics. If Party A says X then Party B will say Y.They do this to get votes, that's how it works. We won't be as bad as they are saying.If one party dare tell the whole truth the voters will look to someone that offers better news. And of course, what politician wouldn't give us what we want to hear and why would you not, as a voter, look for a more palatable answer?If all parties were, by law, compelled to provide full costings of all their pledges then we would have a real choice.We could look at the sums, which all MUST add up by law, and then say, I like option A but not option B and so on - unfortunately that is not the case.We need legislation that compels every politcal party to provide 100% of their costings in an election campaign. Every manifesto must be launched simulatneously.This way we all know on 'Manifetso Release Date' what the party's offer is and what they will do.It's just like a pitch. The other party does not know what the other parties tender, but all must fully cost their plan, answer the brief and deliver their presentation on the same day. PERFECT.This drip drip, I won't say unless you say nonesense stifles democracy.
Benjamin Dennehy ● 5996d