GREAT BRITAIN: Osmosis in Queuetopia

• Share

(8 of 8)

Of Labor's welfare services, ex-Socialist Sewell had this to say: "It's been done too quickly, with inefficient planning, inaccurate estimates and an enormous costs, just when the country can least afford it. It's all very fine, but it seems likely to ruin us."

A few months ago shrewd observers believed there were enough Albert Sewells to insure a Tory victory. Now they are very doubtful. The British Gallup poll (which has been accurate in the past) shows that Labor reached a low point last November when it had 38% to the Tories' 48%. Labor's strength grew through December. It took a further spurt when the election date was announced. Faced with an actual immediate choice, grumblers against the government shut up and returned to the Labor fold. A Gallup poll this week showed Labor 45½%, Tories 44%.

If the pollsters are right about the trend, then only an all-out crusade can put the Tories in office. Last week there was no sign of a crusade. The Tory campaign manifesto tried to sound as Laborite as possible and the Labor manifesto tried to sound as Tory as possible. This political osmosis, familiar in U.S. politics, is relatively new to Britain. Unless the Tories can break out of the "me-too" pattern and wake the voters to a sense of Britain's economic and political perils, it is hard to see how the Tories can win.

Between one queuetopian brontosaurus and another, many voters will choose the brontosaurus they have.