Mandy
Thanks for the reply. I was beginning to think my question had fallen into
the category of "dull and not worthy of attention". Maybe the whole
election fell into this category in most people's eyes. Interesting about
BofE control over IR though. The Thai PM just sacked the Bank of Thailand
governor here last week for not raising IR.
Simon Foley
=========================================
Bangkok Patana School Economics
http://www.patana.ac.th/economics
[log in to unmask]
Tel: (662) 398 0200 Ext 209
=========================================
----- Original Message -----
From: David Clutterbuck <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 4:20 AM
Subject: Re: Election Day
> Dear Simon.
>
> According to many opinion polls in the UK (the results of which will be
> tested in the next few hours) the economy is not one of the most important
> issues to the electorate in England and Northern Ireland. I assume this is
> because at the moment the economy is fairly stable and so people are more
> concerned with the NHS, Education and the policing of crime in England and
> Northern Ireland.
>
> Prior to their election in 1997 New Labour were an unknown entity in
> economic management. They are perceived to have done a good job and so
the
> electorate are now focusing on the under invested areas mentioned above.
> However, it must be said that confidence in the Government grew when it
> devolved the responsibility of the setting of interest rates to the Bank
of
> England and the Monetary Commission. Many people saw this as an
opportunity
> to take short term political reasoning out of the setting of interest
> rates.
>
> However, surprisingly given its link to economic performance the joining
of
> the Euro is 11th in the order of priority of the electorate. So far the
> economic downturn in th US and Japan does not seem to have affected the UK
> electorate. Confidence in the UK is comparatively buoyant and the
> expectarion is that IR rates will rise in the near future!
>
> Just as a side note (although I do not believe it myself there are rumours
> that there will be a hung parliament between the LIB DEMS and
> CONSERVATIVES, I feel that New Labour will will win but with a reduced
> majority due to the percieved crisis in the agricultural industry and the
> coutnryside. From family connections and personal experience I know that
> that the rural commumity in the UK is very weary, stressed and
> disillusioned at the moment. If you have time watch what happens to the
F+M
> policy in the UK after the election if Labour win. In rural areas the
> grapevine has been rife concerning MAFF and Army personnel being placed in
> situ ( in rural hotels) ready to cull a massive amount of livestock to
> eliminate the disease. It will be interesting to see how these rural
> communities vote in response to the perceicved threat from MAFF.
>
> As a final not I hope that the use of the words Cull and F+M do not sinlge
> me out for my email being monitored as a possible subversive. After all we
> are talking about topical issues in a democracy are we not?
>
>
> Cheers
>
>
> Mandy Clutterbuck
>
> ----------
> From: Simon Foley <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Election Day
> Date: 07 June 2001 04:35
>
> As a British Economics teacher who has worked here at The British
> International School of Thailand for the last four years, I thought it
> would be fun to ask what others felt about the state of the UK Economy at
> the end of New Labour's first term. Success? Failure? Moving in the
> right direction? Bring back Mad Maggie?
>
> BBC World tells us that Labour can expect a landslide victory today. How
> is the state of the Economy (and Business) contributing to this?
>
> Simon Foley
>
> =========================================
> Bangkok Patana School Economics
> http://www.patana.ac.th/economics
> [log in to unmask]
> Tel: (662) 398 0200 Ext 209
> ========================================
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