Our Saviour!

On the Today progamme this morning (some accurately call it toady), Bottler gave another rather lacking performance.

It is clear what the central plank in his fight back will be. He said, in effect, "I've saved Britain before, I will do it again."

When did he save Britain before? He inherited a sound and growing economy from Kenneth Clarke, and he has largely squandered that. The "nice decade"referred to by the Governor of the Bank of England, a period now behind us, was also a deteriorating period. As we have admitted before, during the ten years there was growth, and it was impressive by international standards, but much of it was the result of the influx of foreign workers. IF GDP is expressed not in total but per head of population, the result is much less impressive and latterly did not compare well with other countries. As usual he compares what he wants to compare.

We have slipped in international competitiveness, our productivity growth is nothing to be proud of, our education is falling further behind other countries and we have suffered regular and large deficits on our balance of trade.

We had a false air of success because we were able to buy cheap imports and finance many purchases by credit and debt accumulation. The Government has continued its spending splurge by borrowing also. Now sterling is losing its value in terms of other currencies, and buys less, which is making world-wide rises in the prices of goods worse to us.

Times are difficult, and he has had no experience of leading us through them. The most worrying thing is that he, like Blair before with the hand of history on his shoulder, is clearly beginning to believe his own spin.

Don't let him claim that all our problems are from forces outside our control, although the credit crunch may have precipitated what would have come more slowly perhaps. Don't let him claim the sound economy he inherited, as he is prone to do. Above all don't let him get away with the claim that he is in no way guilty for the pains we must suffer soon.