Cameron's Sunday best
James Forsyth 10:29am
David Cameron turned in a strong performance on the Andrew Marr show this morning pushing back firmly and effectively against Marr’s suggestion that there was somehow equivalence between Peter Hain and George Osborne’s funding issues. However, as always, the questions about Lord Ashcroft’s status haunt the Tories.
The key message that Cameron wanted to communicate was that Brown is a ditherer, he used the word at every available opportunity, and that the Tories have the policy heft to govern. He was generally effective but he still seems slightly unsure of himself when talking about the economy. One has to wonder whether this is why Gordon Brown and Cameron are effectively tied for who would be the best PM.
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Comments
Frank O'Connell
January 13th, 2008 11:24amAndrew Marr's questioning was very strong . It is a pity he does not use the same strong questioning against Gordon Brown. Remember Brian Waldren he was a brilliant interview.
kinglear
January 13th, 2008 12:10pmI think a comparison with Marr's fawning interview with Brown would be in order
Caroline
January 13th, 2008 12:10pmDo you really think the general public give a damn about 'equivalence'? It's pot calling kettle. Conservatives should have been more moderate in their responses to Labour money problems then they wouldn't be facing such contempt over their own alleged mistakes. Cameron attempting to slither out from under his own sleaze problems is not a pretty sight. As for his on every occasion calling Brown a ditherer, that'll be falling on deaf ears when the public are faced with the choice of alleged 'ditherer' or slippery 'slitherer' It's a complete joke that on ConHome the holier than thou excuses are already being put forward.
Alex
January 13th, 2008 12:16pmI agree, an excellent performance by DC. It is a pity that Andrew Marr still did not appear to get the difference between Hain's predicament and Osbourne's situation. It would be really helpful if the Conservative Party could put on their website a full explanation (with relevant links etc) that DC mentioned in this morning's interview. So far I can't see anything. I also agree that the Lord Ashcroft issue (as well as Johan Eliasch) should be handled by the Conservative Party in a more open and transparent manner. For many casual observers these matters will appear to be the 'elephant in the sitting room' when in fact there is no such elephant. I assume.
Caroline
January 13th, 2008 1:15pmDo you really think the general public give a damn about 'equivalence'? It's pot calling kettle. Conservatives should have been more moderate in their responses to Labour money problems then they wouldn't be facing such contempt over their own alleged mistakes. Cameron attempting to slither out from under his own sleaze problems is not a pretty sight. As for his on every occasion calling Brown a ditherer, that'll be falling on deaf ears when the public are faced with the choice of alleged 'ditherer' or slippery 'slitherer' It’s a complete joke that on ConHome the holier than thou excuses are already being put forward.
TGF UKIP
January 13th, 2008 2:02pmBig difference between Marr's handling of Brown last week and Cameron this. At no stage last week was Marr terrier like as he was with Cameron over an EU Constitution referendum. Instead Brown was allowed to repeat and repeat unchallenged distorted and misleading inflation figures and even when raising the potentially difficult matter for Brown of the gold sales, Marr was very careful not to use the actual figures which would really have embarrassed and shamed his jock Labour friend. Small wonder that Mark Lawson in The Guardian!! referred to Marr in his excellent review of the interview last Monday as being "Brown's comfort zone." Incidentally, if anyone on the right, or even Daveist Tories for that matter, would like to give themselves a little mid-Winter cheer I suggest they go to John Harris's post last week in The Guardian on "Crypto Stalinist Brown." I accessed it via Guido (order-order.com) and his "Seen elsewhere" section. Better even than the article though are the comments which follow and when the Guardianistas are saying what they are about Gordon, he's got big problems. There are many comments which made me smile but perhaps none more than the one which directed people who wanted to read eulogies of Gordon to The Torygraph generally and Rachel Sylvester in particular -ouch!
Mike
January 13th, 2008 3:50pmCameron was good, but Marr was frankly appalling. Marr's objectivity and credibility as a journalist is seriously in question. Is he just a NuLab cheerleader along with his wife?
Bil H
January 13th, 2008 6:45pmTGF said:- Marr was very careful not to use the actual figures which would really have embarrassed and shamed his jock Labour friend." Your rasicm coming to the fore, TG? When you sassenachs produce folk with the calibre to run your own country, only then will we be able to return north and leave you to run your own!
TGF UKIP
January 13th, 2008 8:19pmBil H - so delicate, yet so arrogant.