I’ve been flicking through the British Social Attitudes survey this afternoon, and what a conflicted bunch of socially liberal and economically conservative people we are. The British decry the state’s interference in each facet of life and at the same time we are displeased that more has not been done to limit cannabis’ availability. There is no point in extrapolating out of the morass of contradictions: the British people cannot be defined in monolithic terms. However, there is one figure that will worry Mr Cameron: 50 percent want spending and taxation levels to remain as they are; only 8 percent want them cut.
The Conservatives remain ahead on the economy, but as they face economic thinkers inspired by Captain Bob that is hardly surprising and it doesn’t ensure popularity when in government. The BSA statistic presages Cameron’s dismal approval ratings as Prime Minister, when he takes the axe to the undergrowth bequethed by Brown’s atrocious stewardship.
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