Now the dust has settled down a bit.

Well here we are post-election and still trying to explain to our mutual satisfaction the Larbour party massacre. Having spoken to my nearest and dearest over the weekend at the Golden Wedding Anniversary of my cousin, I now have some idea of middle England's opinion. Many thought that red Ed was too red and just didn't trust him and Ed balls on the economy, and moreover in our complex relationship with the EU. Immigration was an issue that was perceived as a policy they could not be trusted with. Another area of controversy was their attitude to business in general and small business and entrepreneurship in particular. Enterprise and a buoyant economy is the sine qua non of doing anything worthwhile with the NHS, education and the arts etc plus other policy issues. Labour was seen as the enemy of enterprise and getting on in life for you and your family. Not being able to sketch out a future that was optimistic was therefore fatal. Red Ed always appeared to be an unhappy grumpy chap who had little fun in life and was depressed. Being able to sell optimism is a necessary ingredient for success in politics and Miliband didn't convey that at all. They have a long way to travel before they are electable again, at least five more years and very likely many more than that. England is blue and concervative with a small c and not red