Even-handed Standard

Today's Standard leader is a nice balanced piece of opinion:

Refreshing honesty from the Lib-Dems

Although it still perpetuates that slightly patronising two-party view of UK politics.

Anyway, the Standard is trying to live up to its promise to be politically neutral. Shame about all the celebrity crap, but still, they have some very fine journalists - Pippa Crerar, Ross Lydall, Paul Waugh and Joe Murphy all know their onions.

Some lefties carry on referring to it as the Evening Boris, but that's looking a bit tired now. Sort of like calling the Guardian the Grauniad (hat-tip everyone over 40 in my office).

Give the XXX a chance!

Paul 'look, I'm the most connected political journo you know, quite why I'm still working for this free paper is my business not yours' Waugh has blogged a bit on the idea that Cameron could win through on a 'give the new kid a chance' sentiment. He's pulled an old Express from the archives to back up his theory

My thoughts on this are...

1. Does that then work for the Lib Dems? And if not, why not? Paul says that the though process will be:
   "I can't face five more years of Labour/Gordon Brown. I'm not sure about Cameron. But, sod it, I'll give him a try."
   
   People will choose the 'untested contender'. But can you really think of the Tory party as an untested contender? Particularly with Ken Clarke still in it?
   
   It strikes me that the Lib Dems should try and claim that mantle as their own, portraying the choice as being between more of the same old Tories/Labour and the change they represent. In their cardigans and that.
   
   Obviously campaigning to be considered the unknown choice is a bit fraught with pitfalls, but I guess you just focus on the negatives of your opposition.
2. Paul suggests that the choice of Boris in the last London mayoral election backs up this theory. People were fed up with Ken and wanted to give someone else a go, even though they thought he was a risk.
   
   I think the first part of this is definitely true. But I don't think many people who voted for Boris saw him as a risk. They honestly believed he was equipped to run the great city of London. The muppets.