If all else fails, David Cameron can leave. His brother-in-law is off to China, and all around him he knows bright young entrepreneurs and professionals who have had enough and are getting out. He is not immune to the arguments of those who fear that, for their children in particular, Britain is no longer a place of possibilities. The high-tax Labour state is crushing the nation's entrepreneurial spirit. The exit beckons.
He understands all too well what is driving them to self-imposed exile. In other circumstances, it could just as easily be him heading for the United States or Shanghai. He wants to lead a country that attracts the risk-takers and the wealth-creators. Persuading them to stay is one of the challenges that preoccupies him as he prepares for the election and beyond.
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Not that he wants to emigrate, by the way. Quite the contrary. Mr Cameron would rather be prime minister. But if the unthinkable were to happen, and after nearly five years of Tory reinvention, the country were to decide that in the end, if it's all the same, it would rather stick with Gordon Brown thanks very much, then few would begrudge Mr Cameron a one-way ticket to Switzerland (assuming he can find a spare seat on the flight).
Rejection on polling day remains the unlikely scenario. But in the past fortnight I have spoken to a number of Conservatives who have begun to contemplate the jaw-dropping consequences of a result that does not get Mr Cameron across the threshold of No 10: four and a half years of reforms reduced to ashes; Mr Cameron and George Osborne, its brightest hopes, forced out; a party plunged into the abyss. And as for Britain? When we have had our say, the markets will still have theirs.
But why are they leaving, these upwardly-mobile, ambitious types? The exodus is a verdict on Labour's epic failures, yes, but it is also a market indicator of faith in the Tories. With just weeks before polling day, it is difficult not to conclude that those crowding the Club Class lounge do not expect much to change if the Conservatives are returned on May 6. Why leave if you are confident George Osborne will scrap the 50p rate, or reverse the hit on pensions? Why don't they trust the Tories to do what Tories do?
Come to think of it, why don't the rest of us? Here we are, so close to decision day as makes no difference, and we remain unconvinced. Like the audience at the Glasgow Empire, arms folded, inviting a visiting comic to make us laugh, we sit impassive, refusing to respond. Mr Cameron has trotted out his various impersonations – Arctic explorer, Lycra man of action, airbrushed matinee idol – and his best gags – the broken society sketch, the one about the post bureaucratic age – and still we don't get it. We are making him sweat.
After nearly 13 years of Labour
Published: 8:05PM GMT 10 Feb 2010
Comments 41 | Comment on this article
If all else fails, David Cameron can leave. His brother-in-law is off to China, and all around him he knows bright young entrepreneurs and professionals who have had enough and are getting out. He is not immune to the arguments of those who fear that, for their children in particular, Britain is no longer a place of possibilities. The high-tax Labour state is crushing the nation's entrepreneurial spirit. The exit beckons.
He understands all too well what is driving them to self-imposed exile. In other circumstances, it could just as easily be him heading for the United States or Shanghai. He wants to lead a country that attracts the risk-takers and the wealth-creators. Persuading them to stay is one of the challenges that preoccupies him as he prepares for the election and beyond.
Not that he wants to emigrate, by the way. Quite the contrary. Mr Cameron would rather be prime minister. But if the unthinkable were to happen, and after nearly five years of Tory reinvention, the country were to decide that in the end, if it's all the same, it would rather stick with Gordon Brown thanks very much, then few would begrudge Mr Cameron a one-way ticket to Switzerland (assuming he can find a spare seat on the flight).
Rejection on polling day remains the unlikely scenario. But in the past fortnight I have spoken to a number of Conservatives who have begun to contemplate the jaw-dropping consequences of a result that does not get Mr Cameron across the threshold of No 10: four and a half years of reforms reduced to ashes; Mr Cameron and George Osborne, its brightest hopes, forced out; a party plunged into the abyss. And as for Britain? When we have had our say, the markets will still have theirs.
But why are they leaving, these upwardly-mobile, ambitious types? The exodus is a verdict on Labour's epic failures, yes, but it is also a market indicator of faith in the Tories. With just weeks before polling day, it is difficult not to conclude that those crowding the Club Class lounge do not expect much to change if the Conservatives are returned on May 6. Why leave if you are confident George Osborne will scrap the 50p rate, or reverse the hit on pensions? Why don't they trust the Tories to do what Tories do?
Come to think of it, why don't the rest of us? Here we are, so close to decision day as makes no difference, and we remain unconvinced. Like the audience at the Glasgow Empire, arms folded, inviting a visiting comic to make us laugh, we sit impassive, refusing to respond. Mr Cameron has trotted out his various impersonations – Arctic explorer, Lycra man of action, airbrushed matinee idol – and his best gags – the broken society sketch, the one about the post bureaucratic age – and still we don't get it. We are making him sweat.
After nearly 13 years of Labour, and 12 months that have shattered what was left of public confidence in British politics, we have lost our ability to suspend disbelief and take at face value what politicians tell us. The MPs' expenses scandal has had the purgative effect Parliament desperately needed, but the collateral damage has been a growth in cynicism and a loss of trust. And no one is suffering the consequences of that more than Mr Cameron.
His strategy has always been to avoid the gimmicks of retail politics – the easy to understand promises of giveaways and tax cuts that had until now been the bread and butter of politicians on the make. His idea – one that he reasserted convincingly in an important speech on political reform Monday – is to set out some clear principles and policies, but to keep us waiting for the detail.
He is asking us to take on trust that he will produce spending cuts on a scale necessary to make good his pledge to reduce the deficit further and faster than Labour. He is asking us to take on trust that, when he can, he will reverse Mr Brown's tax rises, beginning with the job-destroying increase in National Insurance, but moving on swiftly to the 50p rate and the raid on pension contributions.
And that's it. Those waiting to see the secret weapon that will convince them that it is not just time for a change, but time for the Tories will, I fear, be disappointed. His caution against grabbing the easy headlines governs his campaign. What we see is what we are going to get.
He's banged his theses to the door and is standing there waiting for us to bother reading them (Mr Cameron will tell you that, if anything, the Tories have too many policies – did you know they will let you keep your house if you voluntarily pay £8,000 in advance towards the cost of your long-term care? Who knew?)
Mr Cameron is discovering that in the post-expenses age, trust is not enough, certainly not enough to produce that final breakthrough that gets him past the 40 per cent mark in the polls and into territory where he can comfortably expect to win a majority big enough to govern. He, in turn, won't compromise by playing to those in the gallery clamouring for him to be tougher, to be more radical, to be more Tory.
Which is why he quite deliberately adjusted the language about spending cuts this year. He worried that Tory commentators were reading too much into what "in year" cuts – reductions in spending that is already underway – would mean. At every stage he wants to deny Gordon Brown the chance to trot out the "same old Tories" line that, predictably, was the Prime Minister's refrain in the Commons yesterday.
Helpfully, Mr Cameron had another cracking outing, this time leaving Mr Brown unable to deny that he is ready to impose a compulsory £20,000 death levy on estates to pay for long-term care. Twice running now the Tory leader has reminded his side why he will be their most formidable asset in the election campaign.
Yet behind the scenes there is no disguising the tensions that exist in the high command. Mr Cameron's body language has lost its ease and fluency; instead he appears imperious, impatient, his hands flapping with a kind of patrician annoyance. One senses his frustration at our collective reluctance either to understand what he is about, or to put doubts aside and rally round. Others around him are fed up with the battle and just want to get on with governing. Tempers are fraying because the pressure is on. At this rate a Ted Kennedy moment is not far away: in 1980, asked the obvious question "why do you want to be president?", the senator gave an incoherent, rambling reply, and his campaign never recovered.
All this because we – all of us – are angry: angry at the politicians who betrayed us, and angry at the Prime Minister who bankrupted us. No wonder we are making Mr Cameron work hard. If he wants this job, in the weeks ahead he is going to have to find new reserves of patience, of humility, and of inspiration that will persuade us that after all the lies and nonsense we have endured over the past 13 years, he is worth trusting.
Comments: 41
When we first were led into the Europe adventure, a leading banker, then a respected profession, said "Seven blind men bound together do not make one man of vision". Mr Cameron, I feel, has no vision for this country; he may have a mission statement and all the other modern management claptrap and propagand ploys (sorry marketing techniques) but he does not stir me to vote for him. My father once said that progress is when your children are better than you. As I look around at the majority of the younger generations that is true: except in political leadership. Can they say that they are better than say, from my earliest political recollection, their predecessors in 1945?
Yes but.......Cameron has failed to hit the button with dithering floating voters and wobbly Labour supporters on the one hand and the traditional Tory vote unhappy with his refusal to grasp so many nettles on the other. Many people feel that themany threats to the stability of our society are much greater than the smugness of politicians allows. Cameron does not strike the right note of seriousness -by singing from the same hymn sheet as the totally discredited Blair -his model. Middle of the road politicians are fine when times are easy -when decicive decisions are needed they tend to be just run down. At the last moment many Tories will realise that more of Brown is the path to Hell hold their noses and back him- but with little enthusiasm
Why would anyone take on an employee that has a known history of being untrustworthy, especially with their money? If 84% of our laws are made in Brussels we don't need 646 MPs, the majority of whom are rogues. Keep the most trustworthy 103, (16%) and fire the rest. With their skills there must be a large bank somewhere prepared to take them on.
Benedict Brogan. Yes interesting comments but you in the media seem to be punishing Cameron for something he has not done. It was not Cameron or the Tories who became simply a government propoganda machine now was it as the media did in the intital new labour period upto about 2003/4. Indeed it was only when Iraq went wrong (The media did not want to be associated with that and Blair was discovered to have been telling porkies that the New Labour project began to loose its grip of the media. Labour had a semi-rejuvination for the 2005 election but were still getting far too much support from the media. At this time we see two different benchmarks a high one for the Tories and a low one for Labour that they have to get over. If Labour get in again Chum - the media will cop some of the blame from folk like me. If Brown gets another 5 years I am off to wherever will have me. I am sick of Labour screwing up this country and getting away with it - From the stupid health and safety announcements to the pathetic equality PC nonsense. There will be no place for folk like me in Britain if Brown gets in again.
Elliott on February 10, 2010 at 11:09 PM In response to your response of my "checklist." 1. No, not at all. The EU is a body, it is what owns the UK and thus owns our sovereignty and independence. This has nothing whatsoever to do with trading with other European nations, as you seem to believe...somehow. 2. No, not at all. Asylum seekers should be granted asylum before they arrive in the country not afterwards. Illegal immigrants by the word "illegal" shouldn't be here and foreign criminals can spend time in their own prisons at the expense of their own taxpayers. By the way nazi is a typical liberal slur and you've lowered your status by using it. 3. Again no. The American constitution for example has the 1st amendment which clearly states freedom of speech. Then again, if we have no basic rights for people in society i.e. protecting them for having a different opinion 4. Again, no. The last election clearly showed a minority vote - not a majority. The majority were clearly under the correct belief that Tory, Labour and Liberal are all and one of the same. 5. Never say never. 6. Again, never say never. 7. Stephen Whittle and Simon Sheppard, also known as the Heretical Two, imprisoned for "Hate speech" and "inciting racial hatred." They were imprisoned for 4 years and 10 months in prison for "having an opinion" that differed from those in control, i.e. the NWO who want a multicultural Britain, Europe and world in order to destroy indigenous cultures, create one homogeneous world culture, thus making the people far more easier to control. No love for one's people and country = zero resistance. 8. Missed the point completely. It ties in with my above reply. The destruction of the indigenous culture, by alien ones is what the control of Britain, by the NWO (already spoken of by Blair, Obama and Brown in public speeches). By bringing into the UK intolerant cultures, that will seek to impose their culture as the dominant one, it will create tension. This then enables the government to introduce legislation to utterly destroy our liberties and freedoms. 11. No, politicians should receive a bare minimum and only hold office for a maximum of one and a half years. This way promises would be promises. More importantly a low wage, although £40k is not low - £12k a year is low which some people live on, would mean that politicians would live in the "real" world instead of their own little Utopia where there untouchable elites. By giving them a low wage the policies created by government would naturally be created to benefit them and thus benefit the rest of the people. You only know reality when you've lived it. You only know what being poor is when you've lived it. You only know what being cold is when you've lived it i.e. not having enough money to put the heating on at Christmas like so many people in society. 12. I'll say one word - Freemason. 14. I really couldn't care less. The government are first and foremost public servants and thus should face exactly the same prosecutions as the rest of us. Thus there would be no "getting off" scott free as most of them do. If you want to bring integrity back into politics, then you have to first create politicians with integrity, meaning they live by the same laws as the rest of people within society. "Just a counter-balance to your valid opinions and our right to freedom of expression." If only the same were so for those mentioned in point 7, currently residing at her majesty's pleasure for having non politically correct views on Race and Judaism. Our country is being brainwashed and our youth indoctrinated.
R Huckle on February 10, 2010 at 10:55 PM I agree. He does not convince. He belongs to the rich man's club.
Same old song, this tests the staying power of the Tory elite! If Cameron and co are not happy , I am not concerned whether any of them clear off to join the African despots who frequent the streets in Switzerland. Real conservatives who love this island are patriotic. I am frustrated and fed up with the DT disabling my efforts to get back into posting on the blogosphere. They do not listen when I ask for help!
Four and a half yesr of reform of the Tory party have reformed it into... Nulabour (clone)! Why should anyone vote for it?
Harbinger, In response to your checklist... 1:- Immediate withdrawal from the EU = Typical island (UK) mentality! We should be with them yet retain our individuality as a a nation. 2:- Hmm... OK.. So Nazism then? 3:- Ah, a constitution, that actually restricts our rights by outlining and defining them? We're actually better off without a constitution at the moment. 4:- The 'majority' are the same people who voted the last government in (Tony Blair) which has actually caused the UK to be in the situation in which it is... 5:- Never happen! 6:- see '5' 7:- Where have we got imprisonnment for free speech in the UK? 8:- So ban everyone who is not 100% English, right? And what about our feral youths? Unfortunately, a lot of the time, it is 'our own' people who pose the greatest threat as we walk down the street... 9:- FAIR COMMENT 10:- FAIR COMMENT. (After all, our politicians are simply other common folk that have been elected by us, the common majority, to stand up for us, right?) 11:- Maybe politicians should receive a bit more, after all, they do have the pressure of leading the country...! But yes, maybe there should be limits and rules! 12:- Hm... Do you know how many 'secret societies' there are in the world? Welcome to the real world. 13:- The BBC are damaging society, that can't be denied. 14:- Unfortunately a step like that would leave us without a govenment. Maybe new rules and controls should be introduced to prevent self-interest interfering with patriotism would be a good idea though. Just a counter-balance to your valid opinions and our right to freedom of expression.
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