Chris Blackhurst: Nit-picking, negative and hating the rich. Labour was hard work

When they sit down and analyse their humiliating election defeat, the Labour party chiefs should focus on one thing: aspiration. They didn’t offer any.

So out of touch are they with their fellow human beings they failed to observe one truth: many people want to get rich.

Immersed in socialist ideology, tucked away in their metropolitan bubble, they presumably failed to witness the queues for Euromillions tickets.

Surrounded by colleagues, none of whom have held jobs outside politics (and would have known the value folk attach to money and earning more of it), they spoke loftily in terms of “opportunities for hard-working families” without having a clue as to how that came across. It sounded creepy and Stalinist.

Another truth that presumably passed them by in their High Table discussions: most people, if given the choice, would rather not work at all.

Ed, hello? They don’t wish to be bracketed as a “hard-working family”. It feels downright depressing. Neither, however, do they want to be known as a non-working family. Unless, of course, they’ve made so much they can put their feet up or practise their golf swing.

What, exactly, Labour was going to do for this great swathe of Middle Britain was never spelt out. We knew it was going to give to the poorest; we were made all too aware it was going to take from the richest. In fact, mostly what came across was Labour’s revulsion for the wealthy.

But when the aspiration of many is to be rich, and all that is coming across is a negative view of that ambition, you have a problem. And when, in the eyes of a lot of people, those chucking the stones are members of a north London elite, with good jobs, nice salaries and properties worth millions, that difficulty is magnified.

Labour offered zilch that was positive. Its policy towards business, where that vast middle section in society works, was nit-picking and hostile. It was meddling and uncomprehending. It showed no appreciation or understanding for how markets work.

Energy prices, rail fares and rents were to be frozen. All the companies affected would be put at a disadvantage. No matter, central diktat ordered that they be punished.