George.
Looking after the economy:
The economy was growing under labour before 2008 and was recovering until the genius Osborne took over with ideological attempts to smash the Welfare services by unnecessary harsh form of austerity economics.
There was problems with the underlying market under Brown and too rapid a growth may/was have occurred.
The Major problems was corrupt financial services and their race and greed for profits.
Cameron and his crew after 4 years have not address properly the possible corruption within the Financial service and their "bookies", many of the latter outside the UK Borders.
They in fact benefit from "city" pursuing their activities.
=======
If money had been ploughed into the infrastructure, ie. building social housing, filling in the bloody potholes, the economy would not have contracted and welfare payments would have been less. ETC.
Money into the above would have trickled and diffused into the general swirl of money and supported the economy and enabled a slow growth which was occurring under Darling to do so.
No, Labour is not less competent than the Confidence Tricksters party, they may have a different concept of decency and utilise "taxation" differently.
Also, they have an awareness of the less fortunate in society and awareness of the restrictions they have due to the gross inequality of chance has and this may give them a different concept of what "hard working" means.