George Osborne’s much anticipated Autumn Statement didn’t fail to deliver. There was the usual mix of good news and rabbits pulled from hats all of which aim to obscure the difficult spending cuts. But with growth estimates increased and job numbers expected to grow, the Chancellor had more income and tax receipts to play with. He looks to have used this to good effect by scrapping the unpopular, not least with his own party, tax credit changes whilst also protecting spend on the police.
Whether the statement quite does what the Conservative Party manifesto promised or whether it more accurately reflected that of the Labour Party is being contested. However, what is clear is that the lower than expected cuts are based on the higher than expected projected growth. If the growth fails to materialise then Osborne faces problems.
So what can we learn from the political news this week?
- A little red book can do so much damage. In responding to Osborne, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell chose to fling across a copy of Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book. In interviews the following day, McDonnell explained that it was a ‘joke’ but he had been successful in using it to highlight how the Government was selling off assets to the Chinese. Usually though if you have to explain a joke it means that no-one understood it.
- Hunt talks. Jeremy Hunt has now decided that going to ACAS with the junior doctors is a good idea. Having previously ruled out talks without preconditions, the Secretary of State now believes that all opportunties to avoid the promised strike action should be taken. But with around 98% of junior doctors having voted for strikes, it appears that compromise may be difficult and even non-existent if Hunt fails to drop the threat of imposing new contracts.
- The past haunts. Today’s job seekers are advised to clean-up and consider their online and social media footprints very carefully. It appears the same also applied in the pre-social media age as well. ‘Controversial’ comments made by Jeremy Corbyn and his close allies continue to come to light. Not only do they cause embarrassment but they also mean that Corbyn is struggling to get the media to take his agenda seriously.
- The Syrian challenge. The PM has made the case, as he would see it, for air strikes in Syria. Jeremy Corbyn however does not agree. Members of his Shadow Cabinet agree with the PM, most notably Hilary Benn and Tom Watson. Whilst both claim they will not resign from the Shadow Cabinet it may need Corbyn to agree to a free vote to keep these top figures within the Party working alongside him.
- Corbyn rides high. Despite his undoubted unpopularity in the Parliamentary Labour Party, Corbyn continues to have the support of the Party members. According to a poll, around two-thirds of members approve of his leadership and this figure goes up to 86% amongst those who voted for him. This makes the likelihood of a challenge even more distant and it has to be remembered that party membership has gone up since his election. If challenged, there is the prospect that he could at least, as well, or if not do even better than last time.