[Parmy]

Originally Posted by Quantum Boy

They "saw" the books? Their own books? This as a supposition is very optimistic about how the Tories must view Labour, Parmy... because the only way this can be true, is if they believe that Labour will have to take the fall for the bad books (probable) but also relies on them then fixing the books in order for the Tories to re-enter power and take credit. That's the way that cycle works. If they thought the books were unfixable they'd have tried to hold onto power regardless for as long as possible.

I would venture to say that what they saw isnt achievable to come back from. So they stood down knowing labour would blame them at the beginning of their term, but by the end of it(the important months) they public would blame labour for failing to right things, and also remember the necessary bad things at the begining that were only in place to right things.

I would say thw Tories know getting the ship steadied in that space of time is unachievable by then, yet perhaps achievable the following 5 years, after gains have been made the previous 5.