Admittedly, the most dangerous thing to say is that things are different this time, but, gngh, things are different this time. With the economy at least stagnating, and possibly in recession, tax revenues are going to fall, so to maintain the same level of spending will require tax rates to rise - or increased borrowing at a time when we're stretched.

So, the Tories' pledge to match spending rates will almsot certainly have to go - it won't be 'nasty' or 'same old Tories' so much as recognition that you really do have to cut your cloth to fit your pocket.

I `m not at all sure that the overall message of a man commited to public spending but under pressurre from the tax cut lobby is not about where Cameron would want to be.

The People's Republic 3 Sandwell 2.

'Please Sir, can I have some more?'

Olympics! What Olympics?

My apologies for the late smugness.

That's alright Gary, I wasn't expecting to hear from you yet... my, don't the newspapers arrive in Stoke that quickly these days.

After gifting you 3 points I now know what the daughters of the pit owners must have felt like when they were distributing second hand clothes to the families of the miners. My heart swells with pride.

By the way... I know they were probably not too hot on geography when you were being educated by the church wardens... but Villa Park isn't in Sandwell. You have yet to play our poor neighbours.

Sjoke only win matches by playing dirty, for example by narrowing their pitch, and their nasty, hectoring style is designed to scrape enough victories to just about stay in the league, at the price of being hated by all genuine football fans nationwide.

I'll stick with the true Potteries team.

You mean that they can read in Stoke, Bob?

Mr. Piper please lay off West Brom Albion we will get it right. Perhaps by the time we meet Stoke.

I'm sure the final manifesto will have pledges to cut public spending in some areas but the tax cuts will have to wait - and rightly so.

As the People's Republic MARCHES ON AND ON, we have only one thing to say for underlings who foolishly get in our way:

Let them eat cake.

Gary

I note that Elsby didn't dare respond to my speaking the truth about Sjoke's "football" "style".

Asquith is Stoke's only Tory and, it goes without saying, Stoke's only Port Vale supporter.

Both positions being contemptible. One more than the other.

If two people stood at the edge of a cliff and it was deemed necessary to push them both over, which would go first.

Obviously it would be the Port Vale supporter.

Business before pleasure!

Now run along dearest Asquith, to your local Conservative club, where you can drink a lonely drink and then start a fight with yourself over which is the best policy you Tories have.

Gary