Don't waste time on the LibLabCon differentiation diversion, they're all as red as Ned and all as bad as each other

Listening to Ned on Radio 4 this morning, as he tried to explain what his speech to conference meant, certain things became clear. To the extent that he had any idea of what he was talking about, this seems to be his analysis: the government is not strong enough nor quick enough to intervene in the economy. He called Cameron 'the last gasp of the old system', and that system is, of course, 'the free market'. We need a new system, he tells us. Unsurprisingly, that new system sounds suspiciously like state socialism.

Now, it is not particularly helpful to label Ned's programme thus. There is no significant difference between Ned's plans and those of the other major parties. They are all heavily interventionist, and all are in denial about the sibling relationship between the classical socialist planned economy and the interventionist state they all favour - and the same applies to the establishment media, the government mandarins and the rest of the state's fellow travellers.

Therefore, attacking Ned for his socialism is somewhat foolish, as it aids the illusion of clear blue water between the Coalition and Labour. We cannot afford to waste time with their idle disputes and attempts at differentiation. Our priority (dear brethren) must be to break apart the underlying pro-state, anti-liberty consensus that they all share.