Wednesday, 31 December 2008

Let's mark last year's predictions

In January I made some predictions for 2008. Let's see how I got on...

1. Gordon Brown's government will continue to unravel slowly. By the end of the year, the polls will look like Labour 28%, Lib Dems 18%, Tories 45%.
If I'd taken the snapshot in August this would have been true, the bank bail out seemed to reverse the position - though I don't think for too much longer. 1/2 point

2. The economy will slow, but avoid a recession. GDP for 2008 will be 1.5%.
Wrong. We're in recession. 0 points.

3. Interest rates will end the year on 4.5%, CPI 1.9%, RPI 3.9 %.
Wrong. Interest rates are 2%, CPI 4.1%, RPI 3.0%. 0 points.

4. Several ministers will resign, stating irreconcilable differences of opinion with the PM.
Wrong. Somehow, they all stuck in there. 0 points.

5. Charles Clarke, Alan Milburn and Stephen Byers will all pipe up asking for a real revolution in New Labour and stating that GB is not the change the country needs.
Right. They did ask for this through the beginning of the year. 1 point.

6. Nick Clegg will move the Lib Dems to the right whilst being put under pressure from his party for moving too far.
Half right, he did move the party to the right. 1/2 point.

7. Funding scandals will claim a scalp on the Labour and Conservative front benches. Probably Peter Hain, but not George Osborne.
Right. This was not the Yachtgate affair but I got this one right. 1 point.

8. Barack Obama will face John McCain and beat him to become President-Elect by the end of the year.
Spot on. When everyone though Hilary would win, and John McCain was out of it. 1 point.

9. Ken Livingstone narrowly beats Boris Johnson for Mayor of London.
Wrong, but who'd have thunk it? 0 points.

10. Kimi Raikkonen wins the F1 championship by 10 points from Lewis Hamilton. Felipe Massa comes third, Fernando Alonso fourth, Heikki Kovalainen fifth and Nick Heidfeld sixth.
Wrong. Kimi was with the fairies and Lewis claimed it in spectacular fashion. I'm glad I was wrong. 0 points.

Overall, 4 points. Not too bad but I think the events of September skewed quite a few outcomes. Tomorrow for the 2009 predictions!.

Squiffy.

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