Subscribe to The Spectator

Friday 10 February 2012

Latest issue

Buy the current issue

Jobs at Telegraph

Friday, 3rd August 2007

What Cameron can learn from Canada

7:59pm

The Conservative Home team are currently touring the Anglosphere and reporting back on the state of conservatism in these countries. This week’s report is on Canada under Stephen Harper (pictured) and makes for interesting reading considering the Tories current predicament. After all the Canadian Conservatives came back from a defeat far more crushing than 1997.

To my mind, the key lesson the Tories can draw on from the Harper-led Conservative revival is his success in building internal coalitions on issues. This is something that the Cameron project has been bad at. For instance, lots of Tory members are inherently suspicious of all the talk of global warming. Yet, Team Cameron has made little use of the energy security arguments that are a natural compliment to  the environmental case for reducing carbon emissions and are appealing to precisely those who are doubtful of the science. Considering that the primary Tory expert on energy security is also one of the darlings of the right, Liam Fox, this seems particularly foolish.

Blogs: Martin Bright | Susan Hill | Alex Massie | Melanie Phillips | Faith Based | Cappuccino Culture

Actions: Email to a friend  |   Permalink   |   Comments (3) | Subscribe

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments Post comment

owen splitorff

August 3rd, 2007 9:33pm Report this comment

great site!

George Steiner, Lachine, Quebec, Canada

August 4th, 2007 2:44am Report this comment

There is nothing for Mr. Cameron to learn. It is true that Mr. Harper is a competent politician but his opponent Mr. Martin was a venal lightweight. Mr. Brown is not a lightweight, but Mr Cameron is. There will be no contest.

scabbard

August 8th, 2007 12:46am Report this comment

George is right, of course.

Post comment

Back to top

Cartoons

Tag Cloud

Coffee House archive

sponsored links

Spectator recommends

Spectator classifieds

THE PRESENT FINDER

1,700 Unusual Christmas Presents Request Catalogue 01935 815 195 Quote SPEC10 for 10% discount www.presentfinder.co.uk

OLIVE BRANCH FLORISTS

Pimilco based Florist with online ordering Web: www.olivebranch.net Tel: 020 7630 1868 Fax: 020 7233 8844

RUFFS Bespoke Signet rings

62 Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FT Telephone: 01489 578867 Web site: www.ruffs.co.uk