It’s definitely all about the economy

There is an old adage in the world of politics to the effect that ‘it’s the economy stupid’. 

Well maybe it is not that old. US presidents such as Clinton and Obama, and more recently, David Cameron in the UK, have discovered that the economy doing okay is what, more than anything else, will heavily determine re-election prospects.

Here in Ireland, the two parties of government have recently enjoyed some revival in the opinion polls after a couple of very difficult years. While issues such as the marriage equality referendum may be helping, the likelihood is that the ongoing story of economic recovery is the most important factor reviving the fortunes of two parties that had become deeply unpopular.