Review of the year
2007 has gone, and could prove to be a hugely significant year. A significant year in politics, a significant year in English football (if football is what you call it.) A significant year in the way Britain is run, a depressingly significant year in the world of entertainment. But it's in the political arena where 2007 has seen most movement. I will start this year review with the world of UK politics.
UK Politics
The year started with Tony Blair (remember him) as Prime Minister. David Cameron for the Conservatives was on the rise, the Liberal Democrats where nowhere and the scene was abuzz as we knew we would have a new PM by the end of the year. The favourite, Gordon Brown, was visibly trying to crush any opposition to him in the forthcoming leadership contests, polls suggesting he would do worse than Tony Blair however, meant many were looking for an alternative, possibly including Tony Blair himself, as all reports had his relatiosnhip with Gordon Brown hitting an all time low.
The smart Blair loyalist David Milliband was touted as a challenger to Brown, but in the end he did not have thw ill to go for it. Therefore the 'challenge' was left to the laughable duo onthe Labour left, John McDonell and Michael Meacher. There attempt failed as they could not, even between them get enough nominations to launch a bid, So Brown walzed into Downing Street unopposed as the new PM.
The Lib Dems too had whats eems to be ebcoming an annual leadership contest. Ming Campbell, far too smart and intelligent for modern politics, faded into the abyss and Nick Clegg eventually took the job. Lib Dems may regret that Vince Cable, who coined the Mr Bean phrase to ccharacterise Gordon Brown's leadership, did not stand. Maybe if Clegg fails, that's next years contest.
The Tories had problems in the middle of the year. The cloud that is Iain Duncan-Smith (remember him) emerged with some traditional right-wing policies on the family, the fact teh Tories lost their lead at this point is no conincidence. Cameron also got into trouble over Grammar schools. These along with the Brown honeymoon allowed Labour to take the lead and look at holding an election, The Tories then produced a brilliant conference with lots of ideas that went down well, espeically on tax. John Redwood came up with economic policies that also went down with the mainstream media very well. These things steadied the ship, and Brown had to U-Turn on what is now known as the 'election that never was.'
The last few months went from bad to wrose for Brown, Northern Rock, millions of bank details being lost, an economy on the slide, all contributed to a collapse in confidence. For Brown the honeymoon is over, Cameron is back in the lead and Brown for many looks like a loser with failed solutions to offer.
To add to Brown's misery, a word about Scotland, the SNP won the Scottish elections, and polls show they continue to be on the rise. The Union and Brown's attempts at defining Britishness have failed north and south of the boarder, Alex Salmond is the Scottish First Minister, and Brown is under attack from all sides.
The most significant thing this year appears to be the way the debate is being framed. The Governemnt's defense of state spending against 'Tory cuts' is not working anymore. When John Redwood proposed his ideas fort he economy for the Tories, there was not a huge amount new, what was new was the Labour attacks on these policies that have worked for 10 years were turned on it's head , particularly by the written press. The debate is essentially the same, Labour support the state as the answer, the Tories do not, the difference now is, the press and the public used to agree with Labour on this debate, they don't anymore, and Labour's strongest card is gone as a result. 2007 is the year Britian lost it's faith in the state, and that is bad news for Gordon Brown.
