Scorched Earth UK

Things are getting out of control for the Government at the moment and the media and blogs are full of febrile ideas; how to get rid of Gordon being the main one.

However, as we all know deep down, Labour are unlikely to find courage in amongst their lack of convictions and we will be stuck with Brown until 2010.

As the momentum shifts away there will be a damage limitation strategy – damage to the Labour Party that is. Instead the Government will turn to the idea of wrecking things for the incoming Conservative administration.

Private Eye likes to caricature Brown as Stalin and he could copy the ogre in this regard.

Here are my 5 thoughts for upcoming policies which could cause huge long-term damage to the next government and so potentially place Labour well for a renewed grasp at power in 2014/15;

1. Spending – Keep doing it, perhaps even with some tax cuts. The public finances will then be in such a mess, with PFI, public sector pensions to be taken into account too, that the Tories will have no room for manoeuvre and will be castigated by the OECD, EU etc for the poor financial state of the economy. A financial straight jacket will have been created.

2. Move inflation measure to from CPI to RPIX – This would overnight change the mandate of the Bank of England, pushing inflation statistics 2% higher. Interest rates would have to rise, causing pain in the economy. Look for this to be done at the end of 2009 for maximum effect on the new government

3. Proportional Representation for Elections – The Left could try this one, to deny a Tory government ever getting into power. It would please the Lib Dems too. Seems crazy, but when men get desperate…could this keep Brown in No. 10?

4. Deliberate inaction on Energy Policy – With no new Nuclear build or coal stations built, the Country could face a serious energy crisis by the middle of the next decade. Although labour’s fault, it would be deep into a Tory government and what government could survive the lights going out…

5. Further Nationalisations? – A huge cost (see point one) and would leave a nightmare of complexity. They could do private schools or the railways – re-assuring the core Labour vote for opposition and leaving a dog’s dinner for the Tories.

I am sure there are plenty of other more subtle or clever ways they could perform a scorched earth strategy. Answers in the comments and I will do a follow-up post to analyse.