Saturday 7th September

Well, just about.  This is actually Friday morning for me, and though the temperature has dropped and the barometer has fallen back to overcast the sun is till peeking through.   Rain is on the way, or so we are told, and actually the forecasts are becoming far more accurate these days.  And what a summer it has been.  There was a time when we took warm sun-filled summers for granted,  but just lately we have had a run of dull and dismal rainy old summers, so this last one has been glorious and unexpected and has lifted everyone’s mood.

Strange what an effect the weather still has on us.  When I was active in the Labour party we would always fret as election day drew closer.  Rain all day was a disaster for Labour, we needed a clear sunny day to get our voters out.  And economically, despite the rise of food banks and pay-day loans, and the very real drop in living standards of most of us still in work, the warmer weather makes us loosen the wallet.  Or to be more specific run up those credit card bills a bit.  And it does look as if the economy is starting to really recover, at last.  Although I suspect that this will not be reflected in jobs for a while longer.

And what will now be Labour’s strategy?  It will be no use harping on about the cuts and austerity if all the news is of an economic recovery.    The two Eds really need to do some hard thinking to come up with a plan to win the hearts and minds of people.   Especially if the sun is still shining come may 2015.