Bliss it is in this dawn to be a Conservative. Or at least, it should be. With the general election six weeks away, Britain's main governing party presides over a growing economy and zero inflation. In David Cameron it has by far the most popular leader. The right-wing uk Independence Party, which once threatened to erode the Tory vote, is declining in some polls. The pro-independence Scottish National Party, by contrast, looks ever more likely to demolish the opposition Labour Party in Scotland. The Conservatives' straightforward messages about economic competence and leadership compare well not only with Labour's ramshackle offering but also with their own meandering campaign in 2010. Lynton Crosby, the party's election guru, has long told the Tory troops that these advantages will eventually propel the party past Labour in opinion polls. His theory is that once voters start thinking about the choice at the election, they will suddenly prefer the certainty of the status quo. He has a point: governing parties typically get a poll boost towards the end of their terms in office. But the surge, once expected in October, then in January, then after last week's budget statement, remains elusive. The Tories have gradually closed the gap with Labour, but, with the official campaign period due to start on March 30th, the two parties remain tied.
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