Weary Voters Taken For Final Spin

Weary voters are being taken out for a final ride in Spin City. The Orange Party is starting to suffer from election blues - and reds and yellows. Peering through the fog an election end-game emerges.

Getting down and dirty, the final few days are turning into one almighty slagging match. But the writing is on the wall and in the opinion polls for the party of failure, clinging on to a slither of hope to save the struggling Supreme Leader from more humiliation.

Winning over the few remaining wavering voters in the New Labour marginals is the name of the end-game. But the media spin of vast swathes of undecided voters is disappearing by the day as voter intentions harden.

Brown is a dead man walking. The fag-enders are fighting for survival in a last ditch bid to prevent election wipe-out. Now everything including Blair's frail old frame is being thrown into a final push to put the brakes on LibDems splitting New Labour's vote. The politics of fear is set to take centre stage. Scares, lies, smears and spin to scare the living daylights out of voters.

The Orange Party has lost count of the number of times Guardianistas have bleated on about a Liberal revival only to fall flat on their smug faces. The TV debates and the spin-room, egged on by a compliant BBC and the dangerous sham of a European-style 'coalition' has helped New Labour keep the bandwagon rolling.

The election outcome from polls projected from a uniform national swing are useful for lazy hacks and spinners pushing a party line. The key battleground is in the marginals where such expensive polling is a rare beast.

It is the marginal trends which party polling strategists follow most closely, leading Brown to famously bottle it in 2007 and leading to more adjectival reporting from tabloid hacks. And in the marginals with Ashcroft's cash, Tories are inching ahead.

The cunning Mandy/Campbell plan to big up Clegg in the first leader's debate backfired spectacularly. A dangerous strategy as the debates dragged on and the worm started to turn, as the Orange Party warned at the time.

Brown's nasty 'bigoted woman' jibe was a game-changer but the rot had set in earlier. Bigotgate was the final nail in the coffin of a party which had spun itself into a hole of its own making. The Party had been duped by a bunch of New Labour social democrat wolves in Labour Party sheep's clothing. The 'liberals' as Brown hisses were always the enemy.

New Labour beefed up the Windbag Clegg bandwagon to spin a hung parliament. Now the Dark Lord's plan has fallen flat on its face. It became clear from that final debate that Brown was a dead duck. The beast of Cleverclogs was coming back to bite them. The Orange Party has said so often the Party had become a victim of its own obsession with post-election squabbling and wheeling and dealing.

The Party is now on the horns of a dilemma. Rules prevent seat by seat tactical voting to stop the Dave Party. Dozens of New Labour candidates would be staring certain defeat in the face.

But that doesn't prevent some sneakily suggesting a tactical vote for the LibDems may still produce that dream of a hung parliament, with the dream of a "progressive" New Labour/LibDem coalition and Mandy's dream of ultimate power pulling the strings of anointed successor, Miliband the Elder.

The price of a LibDem-New Labour stitch-up will be Brown's head. The price of a LibDem-Tory deal could be Dave's body. Tories will try to ignore the 'liberals' for as long as they can.

Anyone who thinks a government based on the number of votes cast or the biggest share of the vote, can rise out of the election ashes, is living in cloud cuckoo land. Voters elect MPs to parliament. The commons decides the government based on a numbers game.

The rank and file decent Labour party would rather eat their own flesh than seal a deal with the hated Liberals. Clegg too has a fight on his hands in a party riddled with divisions between left-wingers and wet social democrat add ons.

Tories are now set for the most votes, the most number of seats and the biggest share of the vote. But the rigged election system means without that magic majority of seats, Dave would still be on his downers in a badly hung parliament. And unelected Mandy would still be calling the shots. In Westminster it is only the number and colour of the bums on seats that matter. The current 'constitutional arrangement' is at the heart of the 'democratic' parliamentary process.

Tories hope of beating the odds with a solid working majority may rest in a likely alliance with Ulster's Unionist MPs.

The campaign has finally exposed Brown as a two-faced hypocrite and pathological liar. Clegg as a shallow charlatan. Duplicitous Dave as the best of a bad bunch.

Throughout the campaign Brown lied over the dire economic mess and immigration figures, a charge backed up by hard evidence. Clegg's potty policies are a shallow sham. Cameron talks tough but the proof is in the post-election pudding.

The country is bankrupt but has been given a respite from the money markets until post-election pain kicks in. The stakes are high with jobs on the line and spending cuts in the pipeline, as all parties suddenly discover newfound post-election honesty. Tory policies to 'cut faster deeper' are simply the best of a bad job.

Whatever the outcome, the mounting powers of an EU superstate, the hopeless Afghan war, the iron grip of Big Oil, a supermarket stranglehold, the ridiculous merry-go-round kowtowing to China is set to continue.

So too a PC world of zealots sneering at anyone who doesn't fit into their warped world, a boom turned to bust benefit culture, gross government squandering of taxpayers cash, a decimated UK manufacturing industry, a Common Purpose clan and crony culture wallowing in a sea of greenwash.

The Orange Party is a realist, cynical and sceptical. Despite a looming postal vote scandal, there's a chance to stem the tide of the decline after 13 years of failure and disaster and halt the New Labour Project in its tracks.

Freshly scrubbed Dave is set to give more polished performances until he magically morphs into Blair. Smooth-talking Clegg with his half-baked hollow policies is a walking calamity waiting to happen.

A decent Labour Party, free of the shackles of the Gang of Four's New Labour sham, is limbering up on the sidelines after licking its wounds, ready to come back refreshed. Ready for a fight with true blue Tories eager to ditch Duplicitous Dave.

The country is in with a fighting chance to salvage something from the New Labour wreckage but could end up with more of the same.

The only outcome that matters is the party with a majority of seats. Without a clear majority and that constitutional mandate to govern, the days of the Dave Party will be numbered. Voters will have to go through the whole rigmarole sooner rather than later.

The final outcome will become clear at the stroke of 10pm on Thursday. A joint exit poll from the broadcast media will declare the winner before the next episode in the drama of Spin City starts to unfold.

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Bleak Week Ends With Weak Growth

Borrowing Brown's prayers for an economic election growth miracle were dealt a bitter blow today with weak GDP figures showing a busted economy struggling to beat recession depression blues. The financial storm of a Greek tragedy is waiting in the wings on the back of today's dire debt warning from basket-case Greece.

The last roll of the election dice was bad news for spinners hoping for some crumb of comfort from today's ONS figures after a week of dismal news on the economic front.

Soaring unemployment rising to record 2.5m highs. Inflation rate rises hitting 3.4% and hitting the pocket. The dire economy "to stay in the doldrums". A country down at the heels and down in the dumps.

Now the bogeyman of GDP growth for the first quarter of 2010 struggled to reach an anaemic 0.2 percent. A bitter blow for a bleak Brown world in the final fortnight of the election race.

But the UK economy continued to "recover" from recession in the first three months of the year, according to some in La-La Land. Er, GDP grew by a piddling 0.2% between January and March, according to ONS figures out today. Weaker than the 0.4% growth predicted by some economic gurus. The figures may be revised - but not until after election day.

Roughly translated that means voters can kiss goodbye to any good times and kiss goodbye to hopes on the jobs front - with public sector cutbacks on the cards from whichever party struggles to hold the reigns of power.

Voters have a right to hear something from the illustrious leaders and wannabe chancellors about how they would tackle unemployment, price rises, the debt burden and the economic mess.

Instead honest reality checks are playing second fiddle to political positioning for post-election power as the parties trade blows with set-piece arguments.

Joker in the pack, Clegg, cannot now rely even on Saint Vince with his slipped halo to save the day. Honest Osborne is busy pulling election strings and Dreadful Darling has already packed his bags with a one way ticket out of the Treasury.

A weary and increasingly nervous public and twitchy money markets will have to wait a fortnight for an economic miracle or the chaos of a badly hung parliament.

The Orange Party has noted before with disbelief how projected fantasy 'growth' fixes the economic policies of the party of failure as an excuse for ducking out of cutting the deficit and dealing with a mountain of debt.

Brown spin with fantasy growth is a deceitful dodge. Without that mysterious 'growth' spin, the Brown sauce economy grinds to a halt.

Any bounce from last night's sham 'leaders' debate has brought the struggling Supreme Leader back down to earth with a miserable end to the week and more miserable news on the economic front.

Today bust basket-case Greece had to plead with a begging bowl for an EU/IMF debt bail-out to help pull the economy out of its mess. Credit rating agency Moody's cut its rating on Greek debt, hard on the heels of figures which showed a budget deficit of 13.6% of GDP.

Is the UK heading for a Greek tragedy? The wretched economy isn't so different but voters will have to wait another fortnight before harsh reality kicks in.

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Dashing Dave, Great Gordon, Naff Nick

"Get real Nick," blasted Brown and for once Cameron agreed. A week is a long time in politics and what a difference a week makes. Naff Nick's nag stumbled and fumbled along, Great Gordon had been taken out of the knackers yard for a final spirited sprint and Dashing Dave took it all in his stride.

Bumbling his way through the second TV 'leaders' debate, Clegg made a mockery of the debate title, managed to make Gordon look good and make Dave's day.

But the old tuckers were working the crowds in a crowded spin room trying to brow beat the media munchkins to big it up for their man.

Voters, viewers? The debate was on Sky, so viewers would have to miss Corrie to watch it all. Much wlll depend on the reams of reaction which is bound to be spewed out as reports on the debate on the debate rumble on from a Big Media which has already made up its mind.

The Orange Party was watching a different debate from last week but a debate which still saw three Westminster parties slog it out in what appeared at times like a cosy stitch-up.

The clash was supposed to focus on foreign affairs but the major battlegrounds of Afghanistan, Trident and Europe were brushed under the carpet and given only a scant outing as the Celtic nationalists and single issue parties were left out in the cold.

Ex-eurocrat Clegg predictably backed the EU superstate. All three backed keeping troops fighting a hopeless Afghan war. Scrap Trident? Er, nope. Not even Nick.

But gone was the Mandy manipulated Gordon "I agree with Nick" slapstick comedy routine and in came a revitalised Labour tribalist telling that 'Liberal' Clegg to get real. Dave's agreement brought a laugh from the audience, now aired in this second debate. Brown was on a roll and lovin' it.

Dave was comfortable at home with foreign affairs in a foreign office sort of way. Defence of the realm, the national interest comes first - the rest is the way of the world. Back home on the playing fields of Eton, sounding and looking every inch the statesman.

Foreign affairs was never Gordon's strong point - more used to being stuck at home in the kitchen cooking the books. But managing to sound convincing resorting to well-rehearsed rhetoric trotted out from a script.

An 'off the cuff' pre-planned put down line to the two other "bickering" party 'leaders' read out from a pre-written script stuck out like a sore thumb.

Clegg and his novelty act always had a lot to live up to with all the Cleggmania and media hype but then so did Dave in the first round. The difference is what marks out a leader and Clegg fell flat on his face.

The knives were out for Clegg with his dodgy dealings and shameless past splashed across the tabloids and the Telegraph. But a question from Sky's Adam Boulton aimed to put the party leader on the spot was dealt with poorly by Clegg with an arrogant slap down, exposing the off-hand manner of a smug two-bit politician.

Cutaways and reaction shots from the audience meant to liven up the second debate became a dangerous toy to be played with in the gallery. A cutaway to a sweet young thing smiling sweetly and nodding at Clegg reeked of biased editing.

Lessons had been learnt. Clegg tried to sound tough on immigration but fell at the first fence over an amnesty. Round one saw Clegg put himself up as Mr Clean. It was left to Dave to deliver the put down - no-one should be put themselves on a pedestal, not least Clegg.

The stakes had been high. The little fish in a big pond had been bigged up to take the heat off dismal Brown's first debate disaster. The question now is would voters trust Clegg to call the shots holding the balance of power? Is this unknown who has shot to stardom really prime ministerial material?

Overall, the limp LibDem leader turned in a lacklustre performance putting the brakes on the Clegg bandwagon. Tired Brown came alive at times and can expect to turn into Bouncy Brown. Calm Cameron turned in the kind of prime ministerial performance that could begin to turn things round for him. All in a tabloid sort of way.

But then the winners and losers of the second debate were always going to be fought over on the broadcast news bulletins and above the fold on newspaper front pages - not from voters watching the TV talent show.

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Clegg Attack!

The knives are out for Two-faced Clegg and his potty party as the windbag leader of the little party for little people limbers up for a limp performance in tonight's TV debate. Adjectival reporting which suits the style of a blistering Clegg Attack in today's tabloids. Down and dirty politics in the raw but something to liven up a boring election campaign.

The Orange Party reckons it was about time for some SAS-style politics. If you are under fire - go on the attack with guns blazing - don't bury yourself in a safe-hole.

Smug Clegg put himself on the pedestal, the public didn't do that for him. They were taken in by all the Big Media hype of Little Nick's talent show.

And the media played its part in beefing up Calamity Clegg's novelty act and delivering a soap star superstar to the nations.

Now the searing sunlight of scrutiny is being shone on Wonderboy Clegg. Exactly the same relentless attacks on personality and policy both Cameron and Brown have had to face week after week after week.

The same scrutiny that has exposed Saint Vince's slipping halo revealing a waffling charlatan in the TV would-be-chancellor debate.

Now Two-faced Clegg's dodgy dealings and shameless past is starting to catch up with him. In the Mail, Express, Sun and Metro. But it is the Telegraph which knocks Clumsy Clegg off his pedestal revealing political donations paid into his private bank account in 2006, before he became leader.

Dishonest at worst, a fool at best. Whatever side of the political fence wavering voters are starting to sit on, mud sticks.

Fudge and waffle on major issues such as the economy, immigration, Trident and the EU leaves voters confused. Would voters trust this guy to call the shots holding the balance of power? Is this unknown who has shot to stardom really PM material?

The Orange Party believes this isn't about the future of the one hit wonder but Mandy's dream of an ever-lasting New Labour project.

A dream-ticket of a Clegg-Mandy alliance where Labour tribalist Brown would be kicked off a coalition like an old boot hissing 'Liberal' between gritted teeth. Paving the way for son of New Labour with Mandy and the Blairites pulling the strings and calling the shots.

The stakes are high. The little fish in a big pond was bigged up to take the heat off dismal Brown but the cunning plan could backfire as voters see through the sham and the Clegg star starts to wain.

The Mandy Plan with the chaos of a badly-hung parliament is a risky election strategy. The struggling Supreme Leader and the discredited Liberals could be left down in the dumps and down in the polls, leaving Tories to romp home - and to the victor goes the spoils.

Smug Clegg’s cynical claim of "a new honesty and decency" had a hollow ring from a leader who is part of the Westminster elite and a party which changes tack at the drop of a hat to con a few straggling voters.

Revealing "the nasty tricks of the real nasty party", Oborne in the Mail, blasts the leader of "a profoundly dishonest party that is prepared to lie, cheat and on occasion issue outrageous smears on its opponents in order to win power." Milking MPs' expenses to fund party propaganda, according to the Spectator.

Windbag Clegg always had a lot to live up to after all the Cleggmania and media hype. Now Euroboy Clegg has been shown up as a windbag politician, incapable of expressing complex arguments and issues with any clarity.

No wonder Wonderboy is falling flat on his face with "Clegg on his face", as the Sun sweetly puts it. Floundering on detail, fudging on issues and making a fool of himself and viewers who've been sucked in by the spin.

And this from Calamity Clegg who was stupid enough to leave his secret election debate plans in the back of a cab.

UPDATE 2.25pm: Mandy's cage has been rattled condemning "disgusting", "cheap and rather squalid" attacks on Clegg, accusing the 'Tory' press of "smears" and "dirty tricks". Mandy defending Clegg and the old tin-pot trouper calling kettles black. Whose side is he really on?

Tabloid round-up: Politicalbetting

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Will Voters See Through Clegg Sham?

Searing sunlight of scrutiny is now shining on Windbag Clegg and his potty party. Brown is left grinning, while Mandy is spinning his hopes of a New Labour dream.

The wind is being knocked out of Cleverclogs Clegg's sails. Mr Popular and his one hit wonder is being unmasked as a one-trick pony propped up by Saint Vince's slipping halo and Mandy's plan for ever-lasting New Labour.

Election weary voters are frustrated, angry and bored. A seismic wave of hype keeping the Cleggmania bandwagon bouncing along may be on the wain. But Mandy's lifetime's work on the Blair Witch project could still come to fruition.

The Orange Party noted during that debate how Cocky Clegg, "slouching with hands in pockets", got up the nose of viewers. Now privileged public schoolboy Clegg is today's splash in the Torygraph, with something of the young Blair about him.

Calamity Clegg's only claim to fame is to ride high on the back of the public's disgust with politics in the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal. But Smug Clegg's claims to offer an 'alternative" to the old Westminster politics is a sham, bunging in dodgy expenses claims and airbrushing an EU lobby firm out of his CV.

The Orange Party has pointed out so often - Clegg is part of the Westminster class. A class act shamelessly exploiting the public mood. But not a class apart.

Schoolboy Clegg rang a Phoney Blair bell. LibDems opted for a Blair lookalike without Iraq baggage in the days when Blair was still flavoursome. Mandy and Campbell gave Clegg a back-handed compliment of Clegg 'style' over Brown 'substance', fanning the flames of Cleggophilia to bury Brown's walking debate disaster.

All roads lead back to spin and Brown sauce. Clegg is Mandy's secret weapon. No wonder Gordon is grinning. The classic Campbell and mischievous Mandy double act worked a treat. But time for a reality check.

Cleverclogs Clegg's claim that "all my life" he had opposed the rotten nature of the Westminster system has been laid bare today by Oborne writing in the Mail in what he describes as Clegg's "audacious fib":

"Clegg is as much part of part of the old system of corrupt politics that he pretends to be apart from … In truth, Clegg is a prime specimen of the British political class who has reinvented himself as a rebel and an outsider. Nor is his party more decent and honest than other political parties, as Clegg suggests."

Little Nick with his novelty act tapped in to the public mood in a single TV talent show but the frenzy was whipped up in the spin room with the old Tuckers working the crowds. And the media went wild for the 'underdog' making a more exciting election storyline.

Now duped by Classic Campbell and Mischievous Mandy, Cleggmania is seared on a gullible public mind and the nations branded with bullshit, as Mandy pushed Clegg's boat out and an electorate was sucked in by the spin.

Nothing will shift tribal loyalties which run deep. But up for grabs are the vast swathes of wavering voters who deserted the Tories in droves for Phoney Blair's promised land. The Dave Party is pinning its hopes on winning them back along with dozens of LibDems seats.

Talk of 'a three horse race', is nonsense. LibDems, with 63 seats, cannot pull off mission impossible. New Labour's rigged electoral advantage will leave LimpDems hanging in third place.

Tories are still winning, New Labour still losing. But while the Tories natural instinct is to ignore LibDems, the warning of 'vote Clegg and get Brown' rings true.

Cameron has a fight on his hands. But with his back to the wall, nothing beats a fighter when both his and his party's survival is at stake.

Calamity Clegg could turn into Danger Mouse, holding the balance of power without the mandate of the biggest number of seats. And that would send a shiver down the spines of the money markets. But a Lib-Lab European-style coalition leaves Mandy pulling the strings with a new European order backed up by Euroboy Clegg.

The dream of the Gang of Four to highjack the Labour Party for their own social democrat ends and screw the Tories forever with a rigged voting system could finally turn to reality.

An unholy alliance between the now defunct 'Liberal' and 'Labour' parties. Two-faced Clegg is part and parcel of that New Labour project. In time Labour tribalist Brown, brought in to cook the books, would be cast off like an old boot.

The Orange Party certainly believes the current two party stranglehold of the main Westminster parties needs to be taken by the scruff off the neck and shaken to the core. If only to remove the stench of corruption from the House of Shame.

But wishy-washy LimpDems propping up failed fag-end New Labour is a recipe for disaster. Another New Labour sandwich of all style and no substance to be munched and spewed out in the fantasy world of another useless Mandy millennium dome.

UPDATES: Mandy has declared Clegg a figure "to be taken seriously", paving the way for son of New Labour. Cathy Newman's indispensable C4 FactCheck reveals Clegg's past is coming back to haunt him.

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Clegg More Popular Than Jesus?

"Clegg nearly as popular as Churchill", proclaims the Sunday Times. Whatever next? Clegg more popular than Jesus? Calm down dears, it's only a Cleggophilia commercial.

"Clegg nicks top spot", punned the Mail. "Clegg get the yoof vote", from the cool Observer. "Cleggmania" from the IoS - but don't mention The War. Clegg more popular than Jesus? Lennon would have had something to say about that.

Resorting to reporting opinion polls is lazy journalism. But time to issue an apology - Private Eye style.

In common with other hacks, the Orange Party may have given the impression that we entertained a low opinion of Nowhere Man Clegg, with headlines such as "Calamity Clegg a walking disaster" and "Windbag Clegg full of hot air". The Orange Party now acknowledges there was not a jot of truth in such scurrilous slurs and is happy to put the record straight.

There's something "exciting" happening in politics, declared Little Nick, making the most of his talent show bounce. And the media is lovin' it. Cocky Clegg is part of the media class loved by media luvvies. The underdog makes a more exciting election storyline.

The Orange Party gets the feeling folk following the little party for the little people with a little manifesto don't like a leader who gets too big for his boots. But LibDems opted for a telegenic Phoney Blair lookalike without the Iraq baggage or "David Cameron's stunt double" as bitter Chris Huhne put it before being beaten for the leadership.

It's election time and the yellows are happy to suck up to Wonderboy. If Smug Clegg comes unstuck come election day, expect the men in grey sandals to be round like a shot.

The love-bombing was a flash in the pan. But Calamity Clegg could turn into Danger Mouse for democracy, holding the balance of power without the mandate of the biggest number of seats. And that would send a shiver down the spines of the money markets.

The Orange Party lays the blame on the shoulders of the old Tucker Campbell, who returned to fan the flames of Cleggophilia with Clegg 'style' over Brown 'substance'. A Mandy/Campbell double act to big up Clegg, taking the heat off Boring Brown and bury his dismal debate disaster.

The media was daft enough to be duped by Classic Campbell and Mischievous Mandy and swallow the crap. Now Cleggmania is seared on a gullible public mind and the nations branded with bullshit as part of the spin.

But wishy-washy LimpDems and Windbag Clegg face a two pronged attack from Tories and New Labour. Instead of letting the Limps get away with fudge and waffle, attack lines are being slipped in here and there. Sly digs followed by a pounce on potty policies, as shell-shocked Cameroons and Broons come out fighting the yellow peril.

Posh Clegg's privileged public-school upbringing is starting to rub up the wrong way and take the shine off Smug Clegg, slouching around with hands in pockets. Tories have been handed a gift with Eurocrat Euroboy Clegg, more for an EU superstate than Boney Blair.

The real Labour Party too is not a happy bunny. The Orange Party noted yesterday how, despite the false snuggles, Brown, Labour to the core, hisses the word 'Liberal' between gritted teeth.

Stop calling us 'Liberals' snarl the, er, Liberals with Democrats glued on, sensing a sense of derision. Seemingly oblivious to the once great Liberal Party. New Labour is waking up to the fact that it is the 'Liberals' who are the real thorn in the side of the Labour Party.

Little Nick with his novelty act may have been crowned king of the show. The TV 'debate' wasn't a game changer but the debate of the debate did drone on. Any resulting hung parliament chaos would be as much the fault of a fawning media chasing a story and headlines as it would Mandy pushing the line and an electorate sucked in by the spin.

All roads lead back to spin and Brown sauce. Clegg is Mandy's secret weapon. No wonder Gordon is grinning.

Talk of 'a three horse race', is naive. Tribal loyalties run deep. LibDems, with a current 63 seats, cannot pull off mission impossible. Mixing red and yellow gives - Brown.

New Labour's in-built electoral advantage will give a Tory or New Labour seat victory with LibDems hanging in third place. Tories are still winning, New Labour still losing. Tories natural instinct is to ignore LibDems but warn: vote Clegg and get Brown.

The Sunday Times splash was either lazy journalism for a lazy Sunday or a tongue-in-the-cheek pop at all the media hype. The Orange Party suspects the Clegg bounce will be short-lived despite the hype, unless a seismic wave keeps the Clegg bandwagon rolling.

Instead of banging on supporting the opinion poll industry, the Big Media, which helped whip up Cleggmania, now owes it to voters to put the LibDems' little-known policies under the same harsh sunlight of scrutiny it has been so keen to shine on the two main Westminster parties.

Mid cartoons: Spectator. Scarfe, Sunday Times

UPDATE: Clegg bigger than Jesus? Paul Waugh found a little picture gem. See right side bar.

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